^^  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  *^fn 


Purchased   by  the 
Mrs.    Robert   Lenox    Kennedy   Church   History   Fund. 


"^l 


Division ^.  .fs^  L v-^ 

Section ».pi..O.O. 


A  CENTURY  OF  BAPTIST  ACHIEVEMENT 


A  PSALM-MEMORIAL 


Great  Ancie?it  of  eternal  days  / 
Let  heaven  and  earth  resound  thy  praise ; 
Who  wast,  who  art,  who  art  to  come. 
Thy  chihireti''  s  help,  thy  people' s  home. 

With  joyful  eyes  our  thoughts  we  cast 
Upon  the  hundred  years  now  past, 
Wherein  thou  hast  thy  people  led 
And  fed  them  with  the  Living  Bread. 

Our  fathers  trusted.  Lord !  in  thee. 

And  ever  found  thy  mercy  free  ; 

They  sought  salvation  in  thy  Son, 

Through  whom  their  works  of  faith  were  done. 

For  all  their  toil,  and  all  their  pray ei; 
For  churches  planted  by  their  care. 
For  all  the  gifts  which  cro7vned  their  days 
Thy  children  now  would  give  thee  praise. 

Like  them,  before  thy  throne  we  1>07V  ; 
Like  them,  we  seek  thy  guidance  now; 
Like  them,  niai?itain  the  Saviour''  s  cause ; 
Like  them,  uphold  thy  righteous  laws. 

Our  Father,   God  f  besto7V  thy  grace 

On  this  and  each  succeeding  race. 

Till  all  shall  love  thy  holy  name. 

And  through  the  world  thy  praise  proclaim. 

— Pastor  f.  Clark. 


A  CENTURY 

OF 

BAPTIST  ACHIEVEMENT 


EDITED  BY 

A.  H.  NEWMAN,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 

Trofessor  of  Church  History  in  CMctMaster  University 


It  seemed  good  to  me  .   .   .  to  write  .   .   .  that  thou  mightest  know  the 
certainty  of  those  things  wherein  thou  hast  been  instructed. 

— Luke's  Treface 


PHILADELPHIA 

Bmcrican  ^Baptist  ipubltcation  Society 
190 1 


Copyright  1901  by  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society 


ffrom  tbc  Socictv>'3  own  IPrcss 


PREFACE 


As  the  dose  of  the  wonderful  nineteenth  century  drew 
near,  it  occurred  to  the  editor  that  the  acliievements  of  the 
Baptists,  which  had  constituted  one  of  its  most  marked 
rehgious  features,  might  fittingly  be  commemorated  in  a 
volume.  It  was  at  first  his  thought  either  to  write  the  entire 
volume  himself  or  to  associate  with  himself  a  single  competent 
writer.  Further  consideration  led  to  the  conviction  that  a 
co-operative  work  in  which  each  topic  should  be  treated,  as 
far  as  might  prove  practicable,  by  the  scholar  most  conversant 
with  the  materials  involved,  would  best  subserve  the  end  in 
view.  The  readiness  with  which  a  large  number  of  the  most 
eminent,  and  consequently  most  heavily  burdened,  brethren 
acceded  to  the  editor's  request  for  co-operation  was  highly 
gratifying,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  have  performed  the 
tasks  so  graciously  assumed  has  fully  confirmed  the  wisdom 
of  the  plan  adopted. 

The  number  of  topics  selected  by  the  editor  and  the  spatial 
limitation  prescribed  by  the  publishers  rendered  absolutely 
necessary  a  rigorous  restriction  of  each  writer.  All  who  have 
had  the  experience  of  being  obhged  to  crowd  into  three 
thousand  words  materials  that  might  well  be  expanded  into  a 
volume  will  fully  appreciate  the  difficulty  that  some  of  our 
contributors  have  encountered  in  trying  to  keep  within  the 
prescribed  hmits.  And  whoever  has  undertaken  to  compress 
within  narrower  bounds  articles  that  in  the  opinion  of  their 
writers  were  already  unduly  abbreviated  will  join  with  the 
editor  in  his  appreciation  of  the  remarkable  skill,  born  of 
years  of  intelligent,  considerate,  and  painstaking  practice, 
with  which  Dr.  Philip  L.  Jones,  book  editor  of  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society,  has  condensed  several  of  the 
articles  contained  in  this  volume,  including  that  written 
by  the  editor,  without  materially  interfering  with  the  flow 
of  their  thought  or  marring  their  unity.  It  is  a  matter  of 
regret  to  the  editor  and  the  book  editor  alike  that  all  articles 
could  not  be  printed  substantially  as  they  were  received  ;  but 
such  a  course  would  have  swollen  the  volume  to  impracticable 
proportions. 


VI  PREFACE 

In  a  work  containing  so  many  proper  names,  dates,  and 
amounts,  it  cannot  be  otherwise  than  that  there  should  be 
some  errors.  This  is  the  more  likely  since  the  pressure  of 
time  prevented  the  different  writers  from  seeing  the  "proof" 
of  their  articles.  It  is  hoped,  however,  that  mistakes  in  any 
one  of  the  directions  indicated,  or  any  other,  have  been  kept 
to  a  minimum  and  will  not  impair  the  accuracy  of  the  work. 
Any  that  may  obtain  will  be  corrected  in  future  editions. 

The  editor  wishes  publicly  to  thank  the  honored  writers 
who  have  given  so  much  of  their  time  and  strength  toward 
the  production  of  this  volume. 

That  the  work  may  prove  highly  useful  as  a  reasonably  full 
and  accurate  setting  forth  of  the  achievements  of  our  beloved 
denomination  during  a  century  in  which  it  grew  from  a  small 
body  numbering  in  its  various  branches  less  than  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  to  a  mighty  host  of  nearly  six  millions,  and 
that  the  magnificent  record  of  the  past  century  may  prove  an 
incentive  to  still  nobler  achievements  in  the  present,  is  the 
earnest  desire  and  the  confident  expectation  of 

The  Editor. 

May  I,  1901. 


ANALYTICAL  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


I.  A  SURVEY  OF  BAPTIST  HISTORY  TO  1801    .         i 

By  a.  II.  Newman,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Professor  in  McMaster 
University,  Toronto,  Ont. 

I.  The  name  Baptist.  II.  Baptists  and  the  apostoUc 
churches.  III.  Baptists  and  the  early  Christian  centu- 
ries. IV.  Baptists  and  medieval  evangelicals.  V.  Bap- 
tists and  Anabaptists.  VI.  English  Anti-pedobaptists, 
1609  onward.  VII.  Early  English  Particular  Baptists. 
VIII.  English  Baptists  during  the  Revolutionary  period, 
1641-1689.  IX.  English  Baptists,  1689-1770.  X.  Bap- 
tists and  the  evangelical  revival.  XI.  American  Baptists 
to  the  Great  Awakening.  XII.  American  Baptists  from 
the  Great  Awakening  to  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury. 

II.  SURVEY  OF  AMERICAN  BAPTIST  FORCES 
AT  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  NINETEENTH 
CENTURY 19 

By  B.  H.  Carroll,  D.  D.,  Pastor  of  First  Baptist  Church, 
Waco,  Tex. 

The  nation  in  1800.  I.  The  whole  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica. II.  Old  Virginia.  III.  Other  Southern  States. 
IV.  The  New  England  and  Middle  States.  V.  A  general 
retrospect  :  I.  Bible  translation  ;  2.  The  commonwealth  ; 
3.  Act  of  toleration  ;  4.  Carey's  foreign  mission  sermon  ; 
5.  The  American  struggle  for  liberty  ;  6.  Baptist  co-opera- 
tion ;  7.  General  missionaries ;  8.  Doctrine  and  comity. 
Men  of  1800.     Boys  of  1800. 

III.  ENGLISH  AND  SCOTCH  BAPTISTS  DURING     *^ 
THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY ^^ 

By  S.  G.  Green,  D.  D.,  late  Secretary  of  the  Religious  Tract 
Society,  London,  Eng. 

I.  The  first  decade  of  the  century :  l.  Revival  of  re- 
ligious earnestness  ;  2.  Baptist  literature  ;  3.  Baptists  and 
public  questions  ;  4.  Progress  of  foreign  missions  ;  5. 
Education  for  the  ministry.  II.  From  1811  to  1820  :  i.  The 
foreign  mission  ;  2.  Baptist  literature.  III.  P>om  1820  to 
the  accession  of  Queen  Victoria  :  i.  The  Baptists  and  pub- 
lic questions  ;  2.  The  abolition  of  colonial  slavery.  IV. 
From  the  accession  of  Queen  Victoria  to  the  year   1863  : 


Vlll  ANALYTICAL    TABLE    OF    CONTENTS 

I.  The  Baptists  and  religious  liberty  ;  2.  The  foreign  mis- 
sion ;  3.  General  proceedings  of  the  denomination ;  4. 
Literature.  V.  From  the  year  1863  to  the  close  of  the 
century:  I.  Proceedings  of  the  Baptist  Union;  2.  For- 
eign missions  ;  3.  Union  of  the  "  General  "  and  "Particu- 
lar "  Baptists;  4.    The  outlook. 

IV.   WELSH  BAPTISTS  IN   THE  NINETEENTH 


J 


CENTURY 51 

By  B.  IX  Thomas,  D.  D.,  Pastor  of  Jarvis  Street  Baptist 
Church,  Toronto,  Ont. 

Early  evangelical  churches.  The  modern  movement.  Com- 
parative numbers  of  Baptists  in  Wales.  The  Sunday- 
schools.  Early  leaders.  Welsh  preaching.  Early  Associa- 
tions. Educational  movements.  Graduates  of  the  schools. 
Recent  preachers.  Helpful  organizations.  Welsh  influence 
on  the  English  pulpit.  Welsh  influence  on  American  Bap- 
tist life. 

V.  BAPTISTS  OF  THE  NEW  ENGLAND  STATES  .       62 

By  Henry  S.  Burrage,  D.  D.,  Editor  of  "  Zion's  Advocate," 
Portland,  Me. 

Status  at  the  beginning  of  the  century.  Home  mission 
movements.  Foreign  mission  awakening.  Educational 
interests.  State  missions.  The  Sunday-schools.  The 
Nevvf  Hampshire  Confession.  Temperance.  Anti-slavery 
expressions.  Organizations  of  women.  Educational  prog- 
ress. Brown,  Newton,  Academies,  and  Institutes.  State 
mission  work.  Boston  Social  Union.  Present  member- 
ship. 

VI.  BAPTISTS  OF  THE  MIDDLE  STATES  ...       72 

By  Henry  C.  Vedder,  D.  D.,  Professor  of  Church  History 
in  Crozer  Theological  Seminary,  Upland,  Pa. 

First  traces  of  Baptists  in  New  York.  Settlement  in  Penn- 
sylvania. Influence  of  migration.  Union  of  churches  in 
Associations.  Missionary  organizations.  The  New  York 
Convention.  Middle  State  Baptists  pioneers  in  education. 
Hamilton,  Rochester,  Vassar,  and  Crozer.  Schools  of 
academic  grade.  Other  forms  of  Christian  work.  Relative 
progress.  Obstacles  :  Unfriendliness  of  others,  internal 
dissensions,  Millerism,  and  anti-Masonism.     Summary. 

VII.  BAPTISTS  OF  THE  SOUTHERN    STATES  .       80 

By  B.  F.  Riley,  D.  D.,  sometime  Professor  in  the  State  Uni- 
versity of  Georgia,  now  Pastor  of  First  Baptist  Church, 
Houston,  Tex. 

Introduction.  I.  Serious  barriers  :  Pioneer  conditions, 
members,  primitive  services,  character  of  preachers.  II. 
The  first  stage  of  development  :   Evangelism,  early  schools, 


ANALYTICAL    TABLE    OF    CONTENTS  ix 

opposition  to  education,  revivals,  needs.  IIL  The  second 
stage  of  development :  Theological  education,  manual 
training,  separation  of  departments.  IV.  The  third  stage 
of  development:  Organization,  "the  circular  letter,"  the 
circuit-riders'  competition.  V.  The  fourth  stage  of  devel- 
opment :  Legal  preaching,  unpaid  preaching,  opposition  to 
mission  funds,  increase  in  membership,  westward  emigra- 
tion, missionary  development  under  the  Southern  Baptist 
\  Convention,  local  Boards  and  evangelism,  Sunday-schools. 

VL  The  fifth  stage  of  development  :  Southern  Baptist 
Theological  Seminary.  Conclusion:  B.  V.  P.  U.,  "The 
Sunbeams,"  advance. 

VIII.   BAPTISTS  OF  THE  CENTRAL  WESTERN 

STATES 89 

By  a.   S.  Carman,   D.  D.,  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the 
Ohio  Education  Society,  Granville,  O. 

Territory  and  early  population.  The  first  churches  :  Co- 
lumbia, Ohio  ;  Silver  Creek,  Ind.;  New  Design,  111.  First 
Association,  Miami,  and  its  membership.  Ohio  Baptist 
Convention  organized  and  missionary  interest.  The  Ohio 
Baptist  Education  Society.  Anti-mission  movement.  Mis- 
sions among  the  Indians.  Michigan  beginnings  and  dates. 
Baptist  colleges  organized  :  Granville,  Shurtleff,  Kala- 
mazoo, Franklin.  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society 
organized.  Beginnings  in  Chicago  and  Milwaukee.  Cul- 
mination of  the  anti-mission  movement  and  its  decline. 
Expansion.  Beginnings  and  present  statistics  of  Minne- 
sota, Colorado,  the  Dakotas,  Montana,  Wyoming,  Utah, 
Nevada.  Leading  workers.  Men  and  movements  origi- 
nating in  this  territory.  Leading  churches.  Present 
numbers. 

IX.   BAPTISTS   OF   THE   PACIFIC    SLOPE  ...       98 

By  C.  a.  Wooddy,  D.  D.,  Editor  of  the  "  Pacific  Baptist," 
Portland,  Ore. 

Frontier  conditions.  Settlement.  First  church  on  the  Pa- 
cific slope.  "Fathers  of  the  Oregon  work."  First  Asso- 
ciation. First  meeting-house.  Growth.  War  dissensions. 
North  Pacific  Coast  Convention.  Eastern  Oregon.  Fric- 
tion. Work  among  the  Germans,  the  Swedes,  the  Chinese. 
Educational  work.  Summary  of  Oregon's  present  statistics. 
Washington's  first  church.  Succeeding  churches  and 
preachers.  Advance  of  1883.  Northwest  Baptist  Conven- 
tion organized.  Eastern  Washington  and  Idaho  churches 
and  missionaries.  Colfax  Academy.  Southern  Idaho  As- 
sociation. Eastern  Idaho  Association.  First  church  m 
California.  San  Jose  church.  Sacramento  Church.  San 
Francisco  Association.  California  State  Conventions.  Con- 
vention of  Southern  California.  Educational  institutions 
at  Vacaville,  East  Oakland,  Los  Angeles.  Work  in  An- 
zona  and  present  conditions.     Other  features.      Summary. 


X  ANALYTICAL  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

X.  THE  GERMAN,    SCANDINAVIAN,   DUTCH,    ^ 
HUNGARIAN,    SLAVIC,     ESTHONIAN,    AND 
FINNISH  BAPTISTS  IN  EUROPE  AND  AMER- 
ICA             115 

By  Rev.  A.  J.  Ramaker,  Professor  in  German  Department 
Rochester  Theological  Seminary,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

I.  The  German  Baptists  :  I.  The  Baptist  churches  in  the 
German  Empire  ;  2.  German  Baptists  in  Austria-Hungary, 
Roumania,  and  Switzerland  ;  3.  The  German  Baptists  in 
Russia  ;  4.  The  German  Baptists  in  North  America  ;  5. 
German  Baptists  in  South  Africa,  Australia,  and  South 
America.  IL  The  Scandinavian  Baptists  :  I.  The  Danish 
Baptists  ;  2.  The  Norwegian  Baptists  ;  3.  The  Dano-Nor- 
wegian  Baptists  in  the  United  States  ;  4.  The  Baptists  in 
Sweden;  5.  The  Swedish  Baptist  churches  in  the  United 
States.  in.  The  Dutch  Baptists.  IV.  The  Hungarian 
Baptists.  V.  The  Slavic  Baptists  :  I.  The  Lithuanian  and 
Lettish  Baptists  ;  2.  Bohemian  and  Polish  Baptists  ;  3.  Bul- 
garian Baptists  ;  4.  The  Russian  Baptists.  VI.  The  Es- 
thonian  and  Finnish  Baptists. 

XI.  THE   BAPTISTS    OF   THE    DOMINION    OF 
CANADA 137 

PART  I.  ONTARIO,  QUEBEC,  MANITOBA,  AND  THE 
NORTHWEST. 

By  J.  H.  Farmer,  Ph.  D.,   Professor  in  McMaster  Univer- 
sity, Toronto,  Ont. 

1.  From  1800  to  1835,  Individual  Evangelism  :  I.  Popula- 
tion ;  2.  Three  widely  separated  Baptist  centers  ;  3.  Early 
progress  ;  4.  Early  leaders.  II.  From  1835  to  1866,  LTni- 
fication  :  i.  The  situation;  2.  Leaders  and  progress;  3. 
Coming  together  ;  4.  Educational  ;  5.  Religio-political  ; 
6.  Indian  work  ;  7.  French  work  ;  8.  German  work. 
III.   From   1866-1900,    Expansion  :    i.    Foreign   missions ; 

2.  Manitoba,  Northwest,  and  British  Columbia  ;  3.  Publi- 
cation ;  4.  Changes  in  organization;  5.  Leaders;  6.  Prog- 
ress ;   7.    Conclusion. 

PART  II.  THE  MARITIME  PROVINCES. 

By  E.  M.  Keirstead,  D.  D.,  Professor  in  Acadia  College, 
Wolfville,  N.  S. 

I.  From  1752  to  1809  :  The  first  Baptists  ;  the  first  immer- 
sion ;  the  first  church ;  the  Congregationalists'  low  state 
of  religion  ;  Rev.  Henry  Alline's  preaching  brings  new 
era;  alliance  of  "  New  Lights  "  and  Baptists;  independ- 
ent existence  ;  the  fruitful  ministry  of  Mr.  Harding ; 
increase  of  Baptist  sentiment  ;  formation  of  the  Nova 
Scotia  Association  ;  a  story  of  struggle.  II.  From  1809  to 
1846  :  Steady  increase  in  early  years  of  the  century  ;  As- 
sociation of  Nova  vScotia  and  New  Brunswick  divided  ; 
faithful    pastors    and  growlli  ;    denominational   education  ; 


ANALYTICAL  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS  XI 

the  formation  of  Granville  Street  Church,  Halifax  ;  an  ac- 
cession of  young  men  ;  Horton  Academy  and  Acadia  Col- 
lege ;  the  Provincial  Convention  organized.  III.  I""rom 
1846  to  1900  :  The  Convention's  aid  to  education  and  mis- 
sions ;  number  of  churches  and  membership  in  1900  ;  As- 
sociations divided.  Some  features  of  history  noticed : 
I.  Personality  and  characteristic  qualities;  2.  Experience 
and  high  standard  of  the  ministry ;  3.  The  missionary 
spirit;  4.  Spiritual  and  doctrinal  unity;  5.  Religious  jour- 
nalism and  temperance. 

XII.  TWO    GENERATIONS    OF    BAPTISTS    IN 

AUSTRALIA iS3 

By  W.  T.  Whitley,  M.  A.,  LL.  D.,  Principal  of  the  Bap- 
tist College  of  Victoria. 

I.  The  background.  II.  Tasmania.  HI.  New  South 
Wales.  IV.  South  Australia.  V.  Victoria.  VI.  New 
Zealand.  VII.  Queensland.  VIII.  West  Australia.  IX. 
Bengal  missions.  X.  Education.  XI.  Public  life.  XII. 
Relation  to  other  churches.  XIII.  Co-operation  among 
Baptists.   XIV.  Past  and  future. 

XIII.  SKETCH    OF   THE    COLORED    BAPTISTS 

OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 163 

By  Rev.  George  Sale,  M.  A.,  President  of  Atlanta  Baptist 
College,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

Andrew  Bryan.  The  Savannah  Church.  Independent 
churches.  Colored  branch  churches.  Colored  pastors 
under  slavery.  Status  at  the  war.  Ante-bellnvi  training. 
Growth  in  numbers  since  emancipation.  Illiterate  min- 
istry. Church  building.  Organization  and  missionary 
work.  National  Baptist  Convention.  Lott  Carey  and 
African  Missions.  Educational  efforts  and  schools.  The 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society's  work.  Co- 
operation of  colored  people  with  the  Society.  Assist- 
ance of  white  Southerners. 

XIV.  FOREIGN  MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DE- 
NOMINATION   174 

PART  I.  RISE  AND  PROGRESS  TO  1845. 

By  A.  P.  McDlARMiD,  D.  D.,  Principal  of  Brandon  College, 
Brandon,  Manitoba. 

Beginnings  in  England.  Carey's  arousing.  Meeting  at 
Kettering.  Dr.  Thomas'  arrival.  Starting  the  mission 
in  India.  Work  at  Serampore.  Missionaries  visiting 
America.  T"dson  and  the  English  Board.  Organizing 
Baptist  support  in  America.  "Triennial  Convention." 
The  Judsons  in  Burma.  Work  among  the  Karens.  In 
Arakan.  In  Siam.  Entering  China.  Assam.  Telugu 
land.  "African  Baptist  Missionary  Society."  Tuther 
Rice  and  educational  efforts.      Convention  officers. 


xii  ANALYTICAL    TABLE    OF    CONTENTS 

PART  II.     THE  AMERICAN  BAPTIST  MISSIONARY 
UNION. 

By  Rev.  E.  F.  Merriam,  sometime  Editorial  Secretary  of  the 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union.  Now  on  "Watch- 
man," Boston,  Mass. 

Withdrawal  of  the  South  and  change  of  name.  Income. 
Edward  Bright,  D.  D.  Summary  of  the  fields  in  charge  in 
1845  and  1900.  Dr.  Murdock's  work  and  policy.  Return 
of  Adoniram  Judson,  and  the  Arakan  mission.  "The  Lone 
Star."  Dr.  Jewett's  plea.  Dr.  Sims  and  the  Congo  mis- 
sion. Special  successes.  Self-support  in  Burma.  The 
Telugu  Pentecost.  Work  among  the  Garos.  Revival  on 
the  Congo.  Missionary  centennial.  Incidental  achieve- 
ments. Reducing  languages  to  writing.  Translations. 
Schools.     Sociological  effects. 

PART  III.  THE  SOUTHERN  BAPTIST  CONVENTION. 

By  R.  J.  WiLLiNGHAM,  D.  D.,  Corresponding  Secretary  of 
the  Foreign  Mission  Board,  Southern  Baptist  Convention, 
Richmond,  Va. 

Introduction.  I.  China  :  i.  The  South  China  Mission;  2. 
Central  China  Mission ;  3.  North  China  Mission.  II. 
Africa.  HI.  Italy.  IV.  Mexico.  V.  Brazil  :  i.  The  Rio 
Mission  ;  2.  The  Campos  Mission  ;  3.  Sao  Paulo  Mission; 
4.  Bahia  Mission;  5.  Pernambuco  Mission.  VI.  Japan. 
VII.  Brief  review. 

XV.    AMERICAN     BAPTIST     HOME    MISSION 
WORK 204 

PART  I.  THE  AMERICAN  BAPTIST  HOME  MISSION 
SOCIETY,   1832-1900. 

By  H.  L.  Morehouse,  D.  D.,  Field  Secretary  of  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  New  York  City. 

Rev.  John  M.  Peck's  work.  I.  The  First  Period,  1832- 
1862  :  Administrations  ;  resources  ;  missionaries  ;  church 
edifice  work ;  immigration.  II.  The  second  period, 
1862-1879  :  Secretaries  ;  income  ;  work  for  colored  refu- 
gees ;  educators  ;  relations  with  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention ;  work  for  the  Indians,  Mexicans,  Chinese  ; 
aids  to  settlement ;  church  edifice  loan  fund  ;  immigration 
work;  women's  societies;  summary.  HI.  The  third 
period,  1879-1900  :  Administrations ;  church  edifice  gift 
fund  ;  pioneering  ;  co-operation  with  Conventions  ;  work 
for  Mexico,  the  Chinese,  Bohemians,  and  other  immi- 
grants ;  among  the  colored  people  ;  schools,  endowments, 
and  co-operation  ;  Indian  work  ;  Alaska  and  the  Klon- 
dike ;  the  cities  ;  Cuba  and  Porto  Rico  ;  women's  socie- 
ties ;  income  ;  summary  of  results  ;  general  review  ;  sta- 
tistics ;  character  of  workers ;  three-fold  work ;  in  the 
west  ;  among  Europeans  and  French  Canadians  ;  Asiatics  ; 
Indians  ;  Negroes  ;  Spanish  lands  ;  needs  and  outlook. 


ANALYTICAL   TABLE    OF    CONTENTS  XIU 

PART  II.  THE    HOME    MISSION    BOARD    OF    THE 
SOUTHERN  BAPTIST  CONVENTION. 

By  I.  T.  TiCHENOR,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Corresponding  Secretary, 
of  Home  Mission  Board,  Southern  Baptist  Convention, 
Atlanta,  Ga. 

Organization  and  first  instructions.  First  report.  Lack  of 
interest.  Money  difficulties.  Fourteenth  report.  Sta- 
tions occupied.  I.  Decade  from  1850-1860  :  Indians; 
Indian  Mission  Association,  in  Indian  Territory,  native 
preachers.  II.  Decade  from  1860-1870  :  Army  work  ; 
after  the  war.  III.  Decade  from  1870-1880  :  Indebted- 
ness ;  changes  among  the  Indians,  among  the  Negroes. 
IV.  Decade  from  1880-1890  :  Desperate  condition  of  the 
Board;  competing  organizations;  securing  affiliations;  I. 
Cuban  missions  ;  work  in  Key  West ;  Diaz'  conversion  ; 
organization  of  church  after  the  war  ;  2.  Work  among  the 
Negroes  ;  instruction  of  pastors  and  co-operation  with 
Home  Mission  Society.  VI.  Decade  from  1890-1900 : 
Statistics  of  1900. 

XVI.  THE  AMERICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION 
SOCIETY 228 

By  a.  J.  Rowland,  D.  D.,  General  Secretary  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society,  Philadelphia. 

Rev.  Noah  K.  Davis.  Baptist  General  Tract  Society 
formed.  First  year's  work.  Removal  to  Philadelphia. 
Work  to  1840.  I.  A  second  beginning  :  Changes  of  name 
and  charter  ;  extension  of  work  ;  receipts  ;  new  quarters 
on  Arch  Street ;  acquiring  Sunday-school  stock  ;  work  in 
Sweden  ;  work  in  Italy,  Germany,  and  other  countries.  II. 
A  new  era  :  Doctor  Grifiith's  influence ;  war  work  ; 
branch  houses  ;  editorial  positions  opened  ;  status  at  the 
jubilee  ;  fourteen  important  events  since  1875.  III.  Sum- 
mary :  Publications  ;  reserve  funds  and  missionary  support ; 
receipts  ;  Bible  work  ;  missionary  department  statistics  ; 
financial  totals. 

XVII.  AMERICAN   BAPTIST  SUNDAY-SCHOOL 
WORK 236 

PART  I.  NORTHERN. 

By  C.  R.  Blackall,  D.  D.,  Editor  of  Periodicals  of  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  Philadelphia. 

1.  Early  Baptist  Sunday-schools  :  I.  Union  in  organization  ; 

2.  The  denominational  plan  ;  3.  Change  to  denomina- 
tional schools;  4.  More  perfectly  graded  lessons;  5.  A 
broad  work.  II.  Results  gained:  I.  Organization;  2. 
Unionism  done  away ;  3.  Aggressive  effort ;  4.  Common 
ground  of  effort ;  5.  Technical  or  specific  literature  de- 
manded ;    6.  Some  statistics. 


XIV  ANALYTICAL    TABLE    OF    CONTENTS 

PART  II.   SOUTHERN. 

By   J.   M.    Frost,    D.    D.    Secretary  of  the    Sunday-school 
Board,  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

The  Sunday-school  Board,  its  origin   and  present   work  : 

1.  Improvement  of  Sunday-schools  ;  2.  Periodical  litera- 
ture ;  3.  Bible  distribution ;  4.  Publishing  books  and 
tracts.  Beginning  at  the  first :  The  old  Sunday-school 
Board;  consolidation;  "Kind  Words  Series."  Another 
line  of  history :  The  old  Bible  Board ;  present  Bible 
work  •  book  and  tract  publication.  Success  of  the  enter- 
prise :  Discouragements  ;  financial  report.  Sunday-school 
condition.     The  lines  of  advance  :    i.    More  Bible  study; 

2.  Denominational  spirit ;  3.  Training  for  church-mem- 
bership ;  4.  Evangelizing  through  the  Sunday-school. 

XVIII.  AMERICAN  BAPTIST  NEWSPAPER  AND 

PERIODICAL  PRESS 250 

PART  I.  NORTHERN  AND  NORTHWESTERN, 

By  T.   O.  Conant,  LL.   D.,  Editor  of  "The   Examiner," 
New  York  City. 

The  first  paper,  the  first  monthly  magazine,  the  first  Ameri- 
can weekly.  I.  Our  missionary  publications:  "Baptist 
Missionary  Magazine,"  "The  Macedonian,"  "The 
Helping  Hand,"  "Around  the  World,"  "The  King- 
dom," "The  Baptist  Home  Mission  Monthly,"  "The 
Seminary.  "II.  Weekly  newspapers  :  History  of  "The 
Watchman,"  "The  Christian  Index,"  "  The  Examiner,' 
"  Zion's  Advocate,"  "The  Journal  and  Messenger," 
"The  Christian  Herald,"  "The  Standard,"  "  New  York 
Chronicle,"  "The  Christian  Inquirer,"  "The  Common- 
wealth," "The  Baptist  Outlook,"  papers  of  the  Pacific 
Slope.  III.  Sunday-school  periodicals:  "The  Young 
Reaper, "  the  Publication  Society  series.  IV.  Quarterlies: 
"The  Christian  Review, "  "The  Baptist  Quarterly,"  "The 
Baptist  Review,"  "The  Loyalist,"  and  "The  Baptist 
Union." 

PART  II.     SOUTHERN  AND  SOUTHWESTERN. 

ByT.  T.  Eaton,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Editor  of  "The  Western 
Recorder,"  Louisville,  Ky. 

"  The  Georgia  Analytical  Repository."  Beginnings  of  jour- 
nalism, in  Kentucky,  District  Columbia,  Georgia,  Virginia, 
North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Tennessee  :  "The  West- 
ern Recorder,"  "The  Christian  Index,"  Atlanta,  Ga.; 
"The  Religious  Herald,"  Richmond,  Va.;  "The  Biblical 
Recorder,"  Raleigh,  N.  C;  "The  Baptist  and  Reflector," 
Nashville,  Tenn.;  "The  Baptist  Courier,"  Greenville,  S. 
C;  "The  Central  Baptist,"  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  "The  Ala- 
bama Baptist, "  Montgomery,  Ala.;  "The  Baptist,"  Jack- 
son, Miss.;  "The  Baptist  Chronicle,"  "The  Texas  Bap- 
tist-Herald," Dallas,  Texas;  "The  Baptist  Standard," 
Dallas,   Texas;   "The    Arkansas    Baptist,"    Little    Rock, 


ANALYTICAL  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS         XV 

Ark.;  "Florida  Baptist  Witness,"  Ocala,  Fla. ;  "Ameri- 
can Baptist  Flag,"  Fulton,  Ky.,  and  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  "The 
Baptist  Banner,"  Huntington,  W.  Va.;  papers  of  the  last 
decade ;  additional  papers,  including  those  for  colored 
people.  Publications  of  the  Boards:  "The  Seminary 
Magazine,"  Louisville,  Ky. ;  "Ford's  Christian  Reposi- 
tory," St.  Louis,  Mo.     A  question. 

XIX.  THE  BAPTIST  YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  UNION 

OF  AMERICA 280 

By  E.  E.  Chivers,  D.  D.,  sometime  Corresponding  Secretary 
of  the  B.  Y.  P.  U.  A.,  now  Pastor  of  Sixth  Avenue  Bap- 
tist Church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Organization.  Preceded  by  "  Loyalists."  General  move- 
ment. Publication  of  "Young  People  at  Work."  Con- 
vention held  in  Chicago.  Basis  of  union  distinctively  fed- 
erative. The  educational  feature.  Pioneer  work.  The 
Christian  Culture  Courses.  The  Junior  department.  South- 
em  co-operation.     Organization  justified. 

XX.  THE  BAPTIST  CONGRESS 288 

By  Norman  Fox,  D.  D.,  Morristown,  N.  J. 

The  English  Baptist  Union.  Felt  want  of  somewhat  simi- 
lar organization.  Initial  movements.  A  general  committee. 
The  first  public  meeting.  Topics  discussed.  Principle  of 
organization.   Opposition.  The  Baptist  position.    A  needed 


XXI.  ORGANIZED  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMI- 
NATION. A  STUDY  IN  COMPARATIVE 
METHODS   NORTH  AND  SOUTH 294 

By  E.  Y.  Mullins,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  President  Southern  Bap- 
tist Theological  Seminary,  Louisville,  Ky. 

A  sympathetic  attitude.  A  glance  at  the  constitutions. 
Portions  cited.  Principles  of  organization.  I.  Ultimate 
authority.  IL  Unity  of  interests  involved  :  I.  In  the  gen- 
eral direction  of  its  work  ;  2.  In  the  distribution  of  time 
at  annual  meetings  ;  3.  The  ability  to  settle  differences. 
III.  Relative  nearness  to  the  churches.  IV.  Subordinate 
agencies.  V.  Special  features.  VI.  General  conclusions  : 
I.  Accord  with  Baptist  principles ;  2.  Ideal  general  fea- 
tures ;  3.  The  deliberative  element ;  4.  Modifications  and 
improvements. 

XXII.  BAPTIST  STATE   CONVENTIONS  ....     304 

PART  I.    NORTHERN. 

By  J.  B.  Calvert,  D.  D.,  President  New  York  Baptist  State 
Convention,  New  York  City. 

The  formation  of  Associations.  Domestic  missionary  socie- 
ties.    More    compact    State    organization.     Formation    of 


XVI         ANALYTICAL  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

Conventions.  Methods  of  administration.  Conventions 
and  the  Home  Mission  Society.  Results  from  State  Con- 
ventions. 

PART  IL     SOUTHERN. 

By  Geo.  A.  Lofton,  D.  D.,  Pastor  of  Central  Baptist  Church, 
Nashville,  Tenn. 

Organization  and  methods  of  procedure.  Basis  of  repre- 
sentation.     I.   Origin  and  progress  of  State  Conventions  : 

I.  South  Carolina  ;  2.  The  Georgia  Convention  ;  3.  The 
Virginia  General  Association  ;  4.  The  Alabama  State  Con- 
vention ;  5.  The  Convention  of  North  Carolina  ;  6.  The 
Tennessee  Convention  ;  7.  The  Kentucky  General  Asso- 
ciation ;  8.  The  Missouri  General  Association ;  9.  The 
Mississippi  Convention  ;  10.  The  Maryland  Baptist  Union  ; 

II.  The  Louisiana  Baptist  Convention;  12.  The  Texas 
Convention  ;  13.  The  Convention  of  Arkansas  ;  14.  Bap- 
tist Convention  of  Florida  ;  15.  The  Oklahoma  Conven- 
tion. 

XXIII.    AMERICAN    BAPTIST   EDUCATIONAL 
WORK ••....    322 

PART  I.    IN  NORTHERN  AND  MIDDLE  STATES. 

By  W.  H.  p.  Faunce,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  President  of  Brown 
University,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Early  educational  institutions,  to  train  ministers.  Brown 
University.  Colby  College.  Newton  Theological  Semi- 
nary. Academies  :  Worcester  ;  the  Connecticut  Literary 
Institution  ;  Vermont  Academy  ;  Hebron,  Coburn,  Ricker, 
and  Higgins,  in  Maine.  Columbian  University.  Colgate 
and  Rochester.  Crozer  Theological  Seminary.  Bucknell 
University.  Academies  in  the  Middle  States  :  Hall  Insti- 
tute ;  Keystone  Academy  ;  Western  Pennsylvania  Classical 
Institute  ;  Peddie  ;  South  Jersey ;  Cook  Academy,  and 
Marion  Collegiate  Institute.  Vassar  College.  Gain  and 
loss.     A  closer  relation  of  existing  institutions. 

PART  II.    IN  SOUTHERN  STATES. 

By  p.  D.  Pollock,  LL.  D.,  President  of  Mercer  University, 
Macon,  Ga. 

Establishment  of  State  Universities.  Popular  lack  of  cul- 
ture. Features  of  Virginian,  North  Carolinian,  South  Caro- 
linian, and  Georgian  life.  The  generating  impulse  of  de- 
nominational colleges.  State  Conventions  and  education. 
List  of  denominational  colleges,  with  instructors  and  prop- 
erty. Colleges  founded  to  train  ministers.  Institutions  for 
colored  students.  Influence  of  schools  under  Baptist  con- 
trol. The  State  university  and  denominational  college  side 
by  side. 


ANALYTICAL   TABLE    OF    CONTENTS  xvii 

PART  in.   IN  WESTERN  STATES. 

By  William  T.  Stott,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  President  of  Frank- 
lin College,  Franklin,  Ind. 

Wise  pioneer  planning.  John  M.  Peck  and  Jonathan 
Going  as  leaders.  The  founding  of  ShurtlefT.  Denison 
University  started.  Kalamazoo  College.  The  founding  of 
Franklin  and  other  colleges.  The  University  of  Chicago. 
Struggle  and  influence.  The  subject  of  co-education.  In- 
struction in  theology. 

PART  IV.    IN  THE  DOMINION  OF  CANADA. 

By  O.  C.  S.  Wallace,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,   Chancellor  of  Mc- 
Master  University,  Toronto,  Ont. 

The  Maritime  Provinces  :  Prejudice  against  educated  min- 
isters ;  formation  of  Nova  Scotia  Education  Society ;  Acadia 
College  ;  attempts  at  denominational  education  in  New 
Brunswick.  Ontario  and  Quebec  :  Early  attempts  at  found- 
ing schools  ;  the  Canadian  Literary  Institute  and  McMaster 
University  ;  the  Grande  Eigne  School ;  Manitoba  and  the 
West  ;  summary. 

XXIV.  BAPTIST  CONTRIBUTIONS  TO  LITERA- 
TURE DURING  THE  NINETEENTH  CEN- 
TURY            355 

By  Kerr  Boyce  Tupper,   D.  D.,   LL.  D.,  Pastor  of  First 
Baptist  Church,  Philadelphia. 

I.  Religious  :  Bible  translation  and  exegesis ;  sermonic 
literature  ;  theological  and  religious  works  ;  polemical 
treatises  ;  literature  biblical  in  tone  ;  biography,  history, 
and  poetic.  II.  Secular  :  Essays  ;  linguistic  productions  ; 
scientific  discussions  ;  general  literature  ;   resiane. 

XXV.  THE  BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINE- 
TEENTH CENTURY 365 

PART  I.   BRITISH. 

By  Thomas  Trotter,  D.  D.,  President  of  Acadia  College, 
Wolfville,  N.  S. 

I.  The  Initial  Group  :  Evans,  (he  Haldanes,  Fuller,  and 
Hall.  II.  The  Mid-Centurj' Group  :  Hinton,  Noel,  Brock, 
Landels,  and  others.  III.  The  Group  of  the  Closing 
Decades  :  Spurgeon,  McLaren,  Clifford,  Williams,  Meyer, 
Gange,  and  others  ;  nineteenth  century  golden  age  of  British 
Baptist  pulpit. 

PART  II.  NORTHERN. 

By  A.  J.  Sage,  D.  D.,  Cincinnati,  O. 

Self-taught  preachers, — Leland  a  tj'pe.  Staughton,  Sharp, 
Cone,  Knapp,  Colver,  Welch,  Stow,  Armitage,  Robinson, 
Gordon,  MacArthur,  Lorimer,  and  others.  Success  by 
thought  and  clearness. 


XVlll  ANALYTICAL    TABLE    OF    CONTENTS 

PART  III.  SOUTHERN. 

By  E.  C.  Dargan,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Professor  in  the  Southern 
Baptist  Theological  Seminary,  Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Baptist  pulpit  in  general.  Discussion  to  cover  three 
periods.  I.  From  l8oi  to  1845  :  Notable  features ; 
prominence  of  I'ural  pastorates  ;  men  eminent  in  this 
period — Furman,  Holcombe,  Mercer,  Broaddus  (An- 
drew), Brantly,  Jeter,  and  others.  II.  From  1845  to 
1865  :  A  virile  ministry — Fuller,  Poindexter,  Winkler, 
Manly,  Tichenor,  and  others.  III.  From  1865  to  1900  : 
Conditions  after  the  Civil  War  ;  names  dominant  therein — 
Broadus,  Tupper,  Hawthorne,  Hatcher,  Carroll,  Curry, 
and  others.  Some  common  traits:  I.  As  to  doctrine  ;  2. 
As  to  manner  ;  3.   As  to  effect. 

XXVI.  BAPTIST  BUSINESS  MEN  AND  PHILAN- 
THROPISTS      406 

By  W.  C.  Bitting,  D.  D.,  Pastor  of  Mount  Morris  Baptist 
Church,  New  York  City. 

Divine  mathematics.  Unrecorded  benefactors.  Consecra- 
tion of  riches.  Reticence  of  the  benevolent.  Classification 
of  benevolence  :  ecclesiastical,  missionary,  educational, 
and  philanthropic.  Schools  named  after  benefactors.  Phil- 
anthropic institutions.  Need  of  hospitals.  The  roster  of 
the  beneficent.   An  estimate  of  means  in  benevolent  plant. 

XXVII.  BAPTIST    WOMEN     OF     THE     NINE- 
TEENTH CENTURY 414 

By  Miss  Maud  Wilkinson,  M.  A.,  Chicago,  111. 

A  few  representative  names  :  Ann  Hasseltine  Judson. 
Sarah  Boardman  Judson.  Emily  C.  Judson.  Mrs.  Francis 
Mason,  caring  for  Indian  orphans.  ]\Irs.  M.  B.  Ingalls, 
succeeding  among  Buddhist  priests.  Madame  Feller  and 
her  schools.  Joanna  P.  Moore,  among  the  Freedmen.  Spel- 
man  Seminary  and  Misses  Packard  and  Giles.  Mrs.  Conant. 
A  group  of  fiction  writers.  General  influence  of  Baptist 
women. 

XXVIII.  MOVEMENTS     OF     BAPTIST     THEO- 
LOGICAL THOUGHT   DURING   THE    NINE- 
TEENTH CENTURY 428 

By  N.  E.  Wood,  D.  D.,  President  Newton  Theological  Sem- 
inary, Newton,  Mass. 

Baptists  like  primitive  Christians.  Pioneer  little  time  for 
theology.  Preaching  azoic.  A  new  era.  Preaching  philo- 
sophical. The  question  of  inspiration.  Christian  conscious- 
ness. The  person  of  Christ.  His  immanence.  Union  of 
Christ  with  race.     The  atonement.     Theory  of  an  evolved 


ANALYTICAL    TAHLE    OF    CONTENTS  xix 

Christ.  Emphasis  on  regeneration.  The  missionary  spirit. 
Present  positions  of  Baptists.  No  great  doctrine  abandoned. 

XXIX.  GENERAL   SURVEY    OF   BAPTIST 
ACHIEVEMENT 43^ 

By  Philip  L.  Jones,  D.  D.,  Book  Editor  of  American  Bap- 
tist Publication  Society,  Philadelphia. 

A  rapid  flight.  I.  Our  numbers  ;  proportion  of  growth  ;  bulk 
not  necessarily  blessing.  II.  An  educational  achievement ; 
present  and  past  contrasted  ;  a  brave  struggle.  III.  Mis- 
sionary triumphs  ;  nineteenth  century  missionary  era  ;  a 
widening  area.  IV.  Sunday-school  and  young  people's 
work  ;  Sunday-school  vast  power  for  good  ;  young  people's 
movement  inclusive.  V.  Literature  :  Literary  prominence 
of  Baptists  ;  the  Publication  Society's  work.  Our  general 
position  ;  special  difficulties.  Prevalence  of  ideas  secured 
as  to  :  I.  The  supremacy  of  the  Scriptures  ;  2.  Absolute 
religious  liberty  ;  3.  The  absolute  separation  of  Church 
and  State.     Horizon  bright  with  hope. 

XXX.  BAPTISTS  AND  THE  TWENTIETH  CEN- 
TURY     448 

By  J.  B.  Gambrell,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Corresponding  Secretary 
of  Baptist  Convention  of  Texas. 

Nineteenth  century  a  Baptist  century.  Christianity  mother 
of  education.  Liberty  of  conscience  means  free  speech. 
An  open  Bible  and  error.  General  movement  in  Baptist 
direction.  Molding  liberty.  Spirit  expressing  itself.  Bap- 
tists to  go  forward.  Meaning  of  this  :  I.  World-wide  evan- 
gelization ;  2.  Three  suggestions  :  ( i)  Doctrinal  preaching  ; 

(2)  Endowment   increasingly  of  educational   institutions; 

(3)  Consecration  of  resources  ;  Baptists  to  be  faithful  to 
the  truth. 


APPENDIXES. 


457 


I 

A  SURVEY  OF  BAPTIST  HISTORY  TO  1801 


I.    THE    NAME    BAPTIST 


The  term  Baptist,  as  applied  to  a  denomination  of  Chris- 
tians, is  of  comparatively  modern  origin.  Its  German  equiv- 
alent (^Tdiifer)  was  commonly  applied  by  Zwingli  and  his 
associates  to  the  Anti-pedobaptists  of  the  early  Reforma- 
tion time  as  expressive  of  their  conviction  that  these  radicals 
were  laying  undue  stress  on  behevers'  baptism.  The  terms 
"Anabaptist"  and  "  Catabaptist"  were  likewise  employed  by 
the  opponents  of  the  Anti-pedobaptists.  The  Anti-pedobap- 
tists of  the  sixteenth  century  never,  so  far  as  I  am  aware, 
adopted  any  of  these  designations,  being  content  to  call  them- 
selves "Christians,"  "  ApostoUc  Christians,"  "Brethren," 
"Disciples  of  Christ,"  "  Believing  Baptized  Children  of  God," 
etc.  English  Anti-pedobaptists  did  not  adopt  the  term  Baptist 
as  a  denominational  name  until  some  time  after  the  middle  of 
the  seventeenth  century,  while  they  earnestly  repudiated  the 
designation  "Anabaptist,"  which  their  opponents  sought  to 
fasten  on  them  with  its  worst  continental  imphcation. 

II.     BAPTISTS    AND    THE    APOSTOLIC    CHURCHES. 

But  though  the  name  is  new,  the  type  of  Christian  hfe  and 
organization  that  it  came  to  designate  is  as  old  as  Christianity 
itself,  or  at  least  as  old  as  organized  Christianity.  That  the 
apostohc  churches  were  in  all  essential  respects  Baptist,  or 
rather  that  Baptist  churches  are  in  all  essential  respects  con- 
formed to  the  apostolic  norm,  is  generally  admitted  by 
impartial  students  of  New  Testament  church  poHty  who 
have  taken  the  trouble  to  compare  the  two ;  and  there  is  a 
practical  consensus  of  New  Testament  scholarship  in  the 
interpretation  of  the  apostolic  notices  regarding  church  organi- 
zation and  ordinances  in  substantial  accord  with  Baptist  theory 
and  practice.  There  is  much  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the 
extent  to  which  New  Testament  precept  and  example  are 
binding  on  present-day  Christians  and  so  much  difference  of 
practice  at  the  present  time  ;  but  if  all  who  agree  with  Bap- 


5  A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     18OI 

tists  in  their  interpretation  of  the  New  Testament  were  con- 
vinced with  them  that  the  New  Testament  precept  and 
example  are  binding  for  all  time,  the  number  of  Baptists 
would  be  vastly  augmented  and  Christian  unity  would  be  vir- 
tually secured. 

III.    BAPTISTS   AND    THE    EARLY    CHRISTIAN    CENTURIES. 

The  apostolic  age  was  not  completed  before  grave  errors 
had  invaded  the  churches.  No  part  of  the  Christian  system 
suffered  earher  or  more  lamentable  perversion  than  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism.  It  would  be  going  too  far  to  assert  that 
no  individuals  or  churches  from  the  second  century  onward 
perpetuated  the  New  Testament  doctrine  and  practice  regard- 
ing the  nature,  subjects,  and  significance  of  baptism  in  its 
purity  and  integrity  ;  but  it  is  certain  that  for  some  centuries 
we  meet  with  no  distinct  assertion  of  what  we  regard  as  the 
New  Testament  position.  The  nearest  approach  to  this 
position  we  find  in  the  Paulician  movement  in  Armenia, 
which  we  have  some  reason  to  believe  perpetuated  from 
apostohc  times  until  the  nineteenth  century  uncompromising 
hostility  to  infant  baptism,  insistence  on  believers'  baptism, 
and  the  general  practice  of  immersion.  The  Greek  Catholic 
Church  perpetuated  immersion,  but  applied  it  to  infants. 
Novatianists  and  Donatists  were  more  insistent  than  the 
Western  Catholics  on  the  regenerating  efficacy  of  baptism 
and  its  applicability  to  infants,  while  they  made  its  vahdity  to 
depend  on  the  worthiness  of  the  administrator.  The  Jovin- 
ianists  and  Vigilantians  protested  earnestly  against  many  of 
the  corrupting  elements  that  had  come  to  dominate  the  Cath- 
olic Church  ;  but  I  find  no  record  of  their  insistence  on 
behevers'  baptism  or  their  denial  of  the  regenerating  efficacy 
of  baptism. 

IV.     BAPTISTS    AND    MEDIAEVAL    EVANGELICALS. 

The  Paulician  type  of  Christianity  was  propagated  in  Eu- 
rope from  the  ninth  century  onward,  and  was  no  doubt  one 
of  the  elements  of  influence  in  the  widespread  evangehcal 
movement  represented  by  the  Petrobrusians  and  the  Hen- 
ricians  (first  half  of  the  twelfth  century),  the  Arnoldists,  the 
Waldenses,  etc.  The  Petrobrusians  and  the  Henricians,  of 
whom  we  have  only  very  meagre  information,  are  represented 
by  their  opponents  as  rejecting  infant  baptism,  insisting  on 
believers'  baptism,  and  repudiating  with  the  utmost  vehe- 
mence all  extra-bibhcal  forms  and  ceremonies  and  all  pagan- 
izing superstitions   that  had   found   place  in   the    dominant 


A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     1 80 1  3 

form  of  Christianity.  They  seem  to  have  made  no  issue 
regarding  the  act  of  baptism.  The  Roman  Church  at  this 
time  and  later  recognized  the  vahdity  of  immersion,  asper- 
sion, and  affusion,  and  it  is  not  hkely  that  these  Anti- 
pedobaptists  insisted  on  the  sole  vahdity  of  immersion. 

V.     BAPTISTS    AND    ANABAPTISTS. 

Many  of  the  so-called  Anabaptists  of  the  sixteenth  century 
had  much  in  common  with  modern  Baptists.  These  earnest 
strivers  for  the  restoration  of  primitive  Christianity  were  in 
part  perpetuators  of  the  older  evangehcal  Christianity  and  in 
part  a  result  of  the  logical  carrying  out  of  the  earlier  and 
more  radical  teachings  of  Luther  and  Zwingli.  As  mediaeval 
dissent  was  of  many  types,  including,  along  with  the  quiet 
and  moderate  Waldenses  and  Bohemian  Brethren,  the  drastic 
millenarianism  of  the  Taborites,  the  ascetical  millenarianism 
of  heretical  offshoots  from  the  Franciscan  Order,  evangelical 
mysticism,  pantheistic  mysticism  as  seen  in  the  Brethren  of 
the  Free  Spirit,  rationahstic  Humanism,  evangelical  Human- 
ism, etc.  ;  so  we  find  among  the  radicals  of  the  Reformation 
time,  who  for  the  most  part  agreed  in  repudiating  infant 
baptism  and  in  insisting  on  the  baptism  of  behevers,  all  these 
phases  of  rehgious  and  philosophical  thought  blended  in 
almost  every  imaginable  way.  In  Nicholas  Storch  and  the 
Zwickau  Prophets  and  in  Hans  Hut  we  have  a  perpetuation 
of  the  Taborite  millenarianism.  In  Melchior  Hofmann  the 
Franciscan  type  of  millenarianism  reappears,  degenerating  in 
the  hands  of  Jan  Matthys,  John  of  Leyden,  Bernhard  Roth- 
mann  and  Knipperdollinck,  by  reason  of  the  desperate  situa- 
tion in  which  Anabaptists  found  themselves  and  the  blending 
of  Hofmann' s  millenarian  enthusiasm  with  the  aspirations  of 
an  oppressed  social  democracy,  into  the  wild  extravagances 
of  Miinster.  In  Hiibmaier  and  the  great  majority  of  the 
Swiss  Anabaptists  we  see  the  perpetuation  of  the  most  evan- 
gelical form  of  Waldensianism,  strengthened  by  evangehcal 
Humanism.  In  the  Moravian  Anabaptists  we  see  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  more  consistent  of  the  Bohemian  Brethren  car- 
ried out  under  favorable  circumstances  to  their  logical  con- 
sequences. 

In  no  age  have  bodies  of  Christians  had  a  deeper  sense  of 
the  unscripturalness  and  the  utter  inadmissibility  of  infant 
baptism.  They  were  at  one  in  regarding  it  as  the  pope's 
first  and  highest  abomination  and  in  seeing  in  it  a  chief 
agency  of  Satan  for  the  perversion  of  Christianity.  Most  of 
the  Anabaptists  of  the  various  parties  carried  separatism  to 


4  A    SURVEY    OF    RAFTIST    HISTORY    TO     180I 

an  extreme,  refusing  not  only  to  partake  of  the  Supper  with 
Pedobaptists  of  any  type,  but  also  declining  to  have  any  sort 
of  religious  or  social  intercourse  with  professed  Christians  who 
differed  materially  from  themselves  in  their  doctrines  and 
practices.  Nearly  all  of  them  (Hiibmaier  was  an  exception) 
follow  mediaeval  evangelicals  in  so  understanding  the  New 
Testament  as  to  exclude  warfare,  magistracy,  oaths,  and  capi- 
tal punishment  from  the  sphere  of  things  allowable  to  the 
Christian. 

The  Anabaptist  movement  in  its  various  phases  was  so 
widespread  and  aggressive  and  won  to  its  support  the  masses 
of  the  people  almost  everywhere  with  such  readiness  as  to 
justify  the  remark  of  DoUinger,  a  modern  Catholic  writer, 
that  if  Germany  had  not  become  Lutheran  it  would  have 
become  Anabaptist.  Lutherans,  Zwinglians,  and  Roman 
Cathohcs  vied  with  each  other  in  devising  and  executing 
exterminating  measures  against  this  widespread  and  deter- 
mined effort  to  restore  primitive  Christianity,  and,  while  they 
did  not  succeed  in  annihilating  it,  they  greatly  crippled  it 
everywhere  and  by  their  violence  drove  multitudes  to  a  fanati- 
cism born  of  despair. 

From  about  1535  onward  Anabaptism,  chiefly  of  the  Hof- 
mannite  and  Mennonite  types,  appeared  in  England  from  time 
to  time,  chiefly  among  refugees  from  Germany  and  the  Nether- 
lands, but  it  was  from  the  beginning  severely  persecuted  and 
was  unable,  apparently,  to  gain  much  footliold.  Lollardism, 
the  British  form  of  mediaeval  evangehcal  Christianity,  had  per- 
sisted until  after  the  beginning  of  the  Protestant  Revolution, 
and  perhaps  in  some  cases  was  led  by  Anabaptist  influences 
from  the  Continent  to  become  aggressively  Anti-pedobaptist ; 
but  there  is  no  clear  record  of  such  transformation,  and  we 
are  not  able  to  build  any  very  substantial  superstructure  on  a 
relation  that  is  almost  purely  conjectural. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  while  this  great  Anabaptist 
movement  was  uncompromisingly  Anti-pedobaptist,  its  ad- 
herents did  not  in  most  cases  come  to  a  sense  of  the  impor- 
tance of  immersion  as  the  exclusively  valid  form  of  believers' 
baptism.  Like  Lutherans,  Zwinglians,  and  Catholics,  they 
were  always  free  to  recognize  immersion  as  the  apostolic  form 
of  the  ordinance  and  to  use  the  symbolic  language  implying 
such  recognition  ;  and  yet  they  were  for  the  most  part  con- 
tent with  pouring,  sprinkling,  or  even  crossing  the  forehead 
with  a  moistened  finger.  Immersion  was  occasionally  prac- 
tised from  the  early  years  of  the  Reformation  in  the  cases  of 
those  that  preferred  it ;  but  I  know  of  no  Anabaptist  of  the 


A    SURVEV    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     180I  5 

early  time  who  insisted  on  the  exclusive  validity  of  immersion 
or  made  its  practice  a  term  of  fellowship. 

I 

VI.     ENGLISH    ANTI-PEDO BAPTISTS,     1609    ONWARD. 

In  1609  the  members  of  a  small  Separatist  congregation  that 
had  been  gathered  some  years  before  at  Gainsborough,  Eng- 
land, by  John  Smyth,  a  university  graduate  and  a  man  of 
marked  ability,  and  that  in  1606  had  taken  refuge  in  Holland 
from  the  persecuting  measures  of  James  1.,  readied  the  con- 
viction that  tlie  practice  of  infant  baptism  was  not  only  incon- 
sistent with  the  fundamental  principle  of  the  Separatists, 
namely,  that  of  pure  church-membership,  but  was  also  com- 
pletely without  Scripture  warrant  and  opposed  to  Scripture 
precept  and  example  ;  and  that  baptism  and  ordination  re- 
ceived in  the  apostate  Church  of  England  were  in  any  case  to 
be  repudiated.  To  what  extent  the  doctrines  and  practices 
of  the  Mennonites,  who  were  numerous  in  their  neighborhood, 
were  influential  in  changing  their  views  cannot  be  determined  ; 
but  it  is  certain  that  their  relations  with  these  Anti-pedobap- 
tists  were  not  at  this  time  sufficiently  intimate  to  lead  them 
to  seek  baptism  at  the  hands  of  the  older  party.  Having 
abandoned  their  church  organization  as  unwarranted  and 
repudiated  the  ordination  of  their  minister,  they  proceeded 
to  introduce  baptism  of  believers  anew  and  then  to  form  an 
organization  of  baptized  believers.  Smyth  took  the  initiative, 
first  baptizing  himself  and  then  others.  Better  acquaintance 
with  the  Mennonites,  with  whose  Socinianizing,  or  anti-Cal- 
vinistic  views  he  had  come  into  sympathy,  and  further  re- 
flection on  his  recent  proceeding  in  introducing  baptism  anew, 
led  him  to  the  conviction  that  he  and  his  brethren  had  made 
a  lamentable  mistake  in  not  seeking  baptism  and  ordination 
at  the  hands  of  their  Mennonite  friends,  who  claimed  to  be 
the  perpetuators  of  primitive  Christianity.  With  a  number 
of  his  adherents  he  was  excommunicated  for  assuming  this 
position  by  Thomas  Helwys,  John  Morton,  and  others,  who 
defended  the  independent  introduction  of  baptism  and  ear- 
nestly opposed  the  idea  that  succession  in  the  ordinances  is 
necessary  to  their  validity.  Smyth  and  his  adherents  sought 
admission  into  a  Mennonite  church,  with  whose  views  they 
were  recognized  as  in  substantial  agreement  ;  but  difficulties 
were  encountered,  owing  to  the  necessity  felt  by  the  local 
Mennonite  church  of  securing  the  co-operation  of  sister 
churches  and  the  reluctance  of  these  to  assume  any  respon- 
sibility in  the  matter.  The  English  were  not  admitted  into 
fellowship  until  1614,  three  years  after  Smyth's  death. 


6  A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     I80I 

In  161 1  Helwys,  Morton,  and  their  adherents,  reached  the 
conviction  that  duty  required  them  to  return  to  England, 
bear  their  testimony,  encourage  true  beUevers,  and  face  what- 
ever of  persecution  might  await  them  there.  They  returned, 
and  by  1526  had  at  least  seven  small  congregations,  with  an 
aggregate  membership  of  about  150.  It  is  to  the  honor  of 
this  body  that  from  its  membership  went  forth  a  body  of 
clearly  reasoned  and  well-written  pleas  for  liberty  of  con- 
science that  played  an  important  part  in  the  propagation  of 
this  great  Baptist  principle — Roger  William  and  his  contem- 
porary advocates  of  the  doctrine  having  been  influenced 
thereby. 

We  have  no  proof  that  these  Arminian  Anti-pedobaptists 
practised  immersion  until  some  time  after  the  rise  of  the  Cal- 
vinistic  Anti-pedobaptists  in  1633.  It  may  be  safely  asserted 
that  they  did  not  in  any  case  insist  upon  the  exclusive  valid- 
ity of  immersion.  The  eagerness  of  both  parties  (1626)  to 
fraternize  with  the  Mennonites,  who  commonly  practised 
affusion,  is  conclusive  on  this  point. 

VII.     EARLY    ENGLISH    PARTICULAR    BAPTISTS. 

About  1633  Anti-pedobaptist  views  appeared  in  a  Puritan 
congregation  that  had  been  gathered  in  Southwark,  London, 
by  Henry  Jacob,  who  had  been  pastor  for  some  years  of  an 
English  congregation  at  Middelburg,  Zeeland,  and  who  from 
a  strong  sense  of  duty  had  resolved  to  venture  his  hfe  in 
England  on  behalf  of  evangelical  truth.  Jacob's  career  as 
author  and  pastor  was  one  of  heroic  devotion.  After  about 
eight  years  of  labor  and  suffering  he  had  felt  it  advisable  to 
emigrate  to  America,  but  death  soon  closed  his  earthly  career. 
His  successor,  John  Lathrop,  also  a  highly  educated  and  de- 
voted servant  of  Christ,  after  some  years  of  heroic  labor  and 
much  imprisonment  emigrated  to  America  in  1634,  where  an 
honorable  career  awaited  him.  Toward  the  end  of  his  pas- 
torate (1633)  a  division  of  the  body  occurred,  on  the  ground 
of  the  inconvenience  and  danger  involved  in  the  mainte- 
nance of  so  large  a  dissenting  body.  Among  those  who  with- 
drew at  this  time  to  form  a  new  congregation  was  Mark 
Lukar,  who  was  later  to  become  a  Baptist  and  who,  emigrating 
to  America  about  1644,  became  a  leading  member  of  the 
Newport,  R.  I.,  church.  Whether  in  the  same  year  or  some- 
what later  (the  records  are  indefinite),  this  new  congregation 
was  joined  by  a  number  of  others,  including  Richard  Blount, 
whose  importance  will  appear  later,  and  Samuel  Eaton,  who 
is  said  in  the  records  "with  some  others"  to  have  received 


A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     180I  7 

"a  further  baptism."  John  Spilsbury,  an  educated  man, 
became  pastor  of  the  Anti-pedobaptist  congregation  some 
time  before  1638,  when  several  others  were  dismissed  from 
the  original  church  after  having  "joined  with  Mr.  Spils- 
bury." It  is  not  certain  whether  Spilsbury' s  and  Eaton's 
"  further  baptism  "  was  immersion  or  pouring.  In  any  case 
they  felt  no  difficulty  about  introducing  the  ordinance  of  be- 
lievers' baptism  anew,  a  proceeding  that  Spilsbury  was  after- 
ward ready  to  justify  by  proving  that  "  baptizedness  is  not 
essential  to  the  administrator."  In  May  of  1640  Richard 
Blount,  who  seems  to  have  become  again  a  member  of  the 
original  church  of  which  Henry  Jessey  was  now  pastor, 
"with  him  [apparently  Jessey]  being  convinced  of  baptism, 
that  it  ought  to  be  by  dipping  the  body  into  the  water,  re- 
sembling burial  and  rising  again  .  .  .  had  sober  conference 
about  it  in  the  church,  and  then  with  some  of  the  forenamed 
[probably  members  of  Spilsbury' s  congregation],  who  also 
were  so  convinced  ;  and  after  prayer  and  conference  about 
their  so  enjoying  it,  none  having  then  so  practised  in  Eng- 
land to  professed  believers,  and  hearing  that  some  in  the 
Netherlands  had  so  practised,  they  agreed  and  sent  over  Mr. 
Richard  Blount  (who  understood  Dutch),  with  letters  of  com- 
mendation, who  was  kindly  accepted  there  and  returned  with 
letters  from  them,  Jo.  Batte,  a  teacher,  and  from  that  church 
to  such  as  sent  him."  We  are  informed  that  in  1641  two 
companies  of  Anti-pedobaptists  that  "were  persuaded  bap- 
tism should  be  by  dipping  the  body  "  were  immersed.  "  Mr. 
Blount  baptized  Mr.  Blacklock,  that  was  a  teacher  amongst 
them,  and  Mr.  Blount  being  baptized,  he  and  Mr.  Black- 
lock  baptized  the  rest  of  their  friends  that  were  so  minded, 
and  many  being  added  to  them  they  increased  much." 

Among  those  thus  baptized  was  Mark  Lukar.  Spilsbury 
and  those  who  with  him  denied  the  necessity  of  succession, 
seem  to  have  introduced  immersion  independently,  either  at 
an  earher  date  or  later.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  most 
of  the  Calvinistic  Anti-pedobaptists,  who  soon  became  very 
numerous,  and  all  of  the  General  (Arminian)  Anti-pedobap- 
tists, repudiated  the  proceeding  of  Blount  in  seeking  succes- 
sion-baptism among  the  Rhynsburg  CoUegiants  as  unnecessary 
and  unwarranted,  and  that  very  soon  immersion  became  the 
almost  universal  practice  among  English  Anti-pedobaptists. 
It  is  probable  that  most  or  all  of  those  who  had  insisted  on 
the  necessity  of  baptizedness  of  the  administrator  soon  aban- 
doned their  untenable  position,  which  ceased  after  a  few  years 
to  have  any  adherents  among  English  Baptists. 


8  A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO    I80I 

By  1643  there  were  in  and  around  London  seven  Calvin- 
istic  Baptist  churches,  whose  Confession  of  Faith,  set  forth  to 
vindicate  themselves  from  the  odium  that  attached  to  the 
Anabaptist  name,  was  lirst  printed  in  1644.  Immersion  is 
clearly  set  forth  as  the  act  of  baptism.  From  the  modern 
Baptist  point  of  view  the  Confession  is  unobjectionable.  By 
this  time  a  French  Baptist  church  had  entered  into  fellowship 
with  the  seven  Calvinistic  churches,  and  its  representatives  also 
signed  the  Confession.  From  1645  onward  Henry  Jessey 
exerted  an  influence  probably  unsurpassed  by  that  of  any  of 
his  brethren  until  his  death  in  1663.  He  was  one  of  Crom- 
well's Tryers  and  filled  an  important  endowed  pastorate  dur- 
ing the  Cromwellian  age,  having  been  invited  thereto  by  a 
majority  of  the  parishioners. 

VIII,     ENGLISH    BAPTISTS    DURING    THE    REVOLUTIONARY 
PERIOD,    1641-1689. 

The  Baptist  cause  greatly  flourished  during  the  revolution- 
ary period.  General  and  Particular  Baptist  churches  multi- 
phed.  Associations  were  formed  in  various  parts  of  England 
and  Wales  for  the  purpose  of  strengthening  the  churches  by 
fraternal  conference  and  facilitating  missionary  effort  by  con- 
certed action.  The  parhamentary  army  was  filled  with  Bap- 
tists, who  were  among  the  most  enthusiastic  advocates  of  civil 
and  rehgious  hberty  and  the  sturdiest  combatants  of  royal 
absolutism  and  priestcraft. 

Baptists  were  chiefly  instrumental  in  preventing  Cromwell 
from  accepting  the  royal  title,  which  some  influential  sup- 
porters urged  him  to  do,  and  many  of  them  strongly  disap- 
proved of  his  military  government.  They  were  among  those 
who  labored  zealously  for  the  restoration  of  the  Stuarts, 
having  received  from  Charles  H.  ample  assurances  of  tolera- 
tion. 

In  common  with  other  dissenters,  they  suffered  severe 
persecution  (1662-1675).  Those  who  held  benefices  were 
deprived  by  the  act  of  Uniformity  (1662).  Baptist  work  was 
greatly  hampered  by  the  Conventicle  Act,  the  Five-mile  Act, 
etc.  The  Corporation  and  the  Test  Acts  bore  heavily  upon 
many  Baptists,  as  they  were  excluded  thereby  from  pubUc 
employment  and  from  the  privileges  of  the  universities, 
while  it  was  open  to  their  enemies  to  secure  their  election  to 
pubHc  offices  and  then  to  subject  them  to  heavy  fines  for 
refusal  to  qualify.  It  is  greatly  to  the  credit  of  English 
Baptists  that  while  other  dissenters  frequently  evaded  the 
force  of  these  acts  by  occasional  conformity  (partaking  of  the 


A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     I8OI  9 

Supper  in  the  Established  churches),  only  one  Baptist  is 
known  to  have  compromised  himself  in  this  manner  and  he 
was  promptly  excluded. 

It  might  have  been  expected  that  the  Act  of  Toleration 
granted  by  William  and  Mary  at  the  beginning  of  their  reign 
would  lead  to  a  great  expansion  of  the  Baptist  interest.  But 
such  was  far  from  being  the  case.  The  long  period  of  stress 
and  strain  would  seem  to  have  exhausted  the  energies  of 
Baptists  of  both  parties  and  to  have  left  them  in  a  state 
of  lethargy.  Much  of  their  strength  for  the  next  century  was 
taken  up  with  efforts  for  the  repeal  of  the  Corporation  and 
Test  Acts  that  still  curtailed  their  liberty.  To  this  end  they 
united  their  forces  with  those  of  the  other  dissenting  bodies, 
and  they  were  thereby  drawn  into  such  close  relations  with 
Pedobaptist  dissenters  that  they  came  to  regard  the  empha- 
sizing of  distinctive  Baptist  principles  as  ill-mannered  and 
unbrotherly. 

IX.     ENGLISH    BAPTISTS,    1689-177O. 

The  Particular  Baptists  of  England  and  Wales  had  begun 
to  hold  Associational  meetings  for  the  furtherance  of  brother- 
hood and  co-operative  missionary  work  as  early  as  165 1.  In 
1665  the  Western  Association,  made  up  of  churches  in  the 
counties  of  Somerset,  Wilts,  Gloucester,  and  Dorset,  feeling 
the  need  of  a  guiding  head  in  connectional  work,  appointed 
and  ordained  Thomas  Collier  to  the  office  of  "General  Su- 
perintendent and  Messenger  to  all  the  Associated  Churches." 
Collier  had  for  ten  years  been  active  in  evangehsm,  and  had 
acted  unofficially  as  a  superintendent  and  director  of  the 
labors  of  a  number  of  evangehsts.  These  Baptists  were  far 
from  being  extreme  independents  in  their  church  polity,  and 
they  no  doubt  had  more  regard  to  immediate  utility  than  to 
the  permanent  conservation  of  the  autonomy  of  the  churches. 
The  Confession  of  Faith  set  forth  by  this  Association  in  1656 
breathes  throughout  the  missionary  spirit.  It  is  affirmed 
(Article  XXXIV.)  "  that  as  it  is  an  ordinance  of  Christ,  so  it 
is  the  duty  of  his  church,  in  his  authority  to  send  forth  such 
brethren  as  are  fitly  gifted  and  quahfied  through  the  spirit  of 
Christ,  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  world."  In  the  following 
article  the  obligation  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  Jews  is  ex- 
pressly recognized. 

The  organized  work  of  the  denomination  was  largely  in 
abeyance  during  the  reign  of  terror  (1662-16  75).  The  Bill  of 
Indulgence  (1675),  though  intended  primarily  for  the  en- 
couragement of  Roman   Catholicism,   made   it   possible   for 


10  A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY   TO    18OI 

Baptists  once  more  to  become  aggressive  and  to  take  measures 
for  the  advancement  of  their  cause.  The  Particular  Baptist 
pastors  of  London  at  this  time  sent  an  earnest  invitation  to 
the  churches  throughout  England  and  Wales  to  send  dele- 
gates to  meet  in  London  the  following  May  to  make  arrange- 
ments for  "providing  an  orderly  standing  ministry  in  the 
church,  who  might  give  themselves  to  reading  and  study,  and 
so  become  able  ministers  of  the  New  Testament."  During 
the  Civil  War  and  Commonwealth  periods  many  highly 
educated  churchmen  and  Nonconformists  had  become  Bap- 
tist ministers.  This  source  of  supply  could  no  longer  be 
depended  upon,  and  the  leaders  of  the  denomination  had 
come  to  realize  the  necessity  of  prompt  and  vigorous  measures 
for  the  maintenance  and  the  increase  of  ministerial  efficiency. 
Such  an  assembly  was  held  in  1677,  when  a  Confession  of 
Faith  based  upon  the  Westminster  Confession  was  adopted. 
It  was  afterward  approved  by  a  still  larger  assembly  in  1689, 
and  has  continued  to  be  the  favorite  symbolical  document  of 
English  Baptists.  It  was  adopted  early  in  the  eighteenth 
century,  with  certain  modifications,  by  the  Philadelphia  Asso- 
ciation and  in  this  form  exerted  widespread  influence  on 
American  Baptist  life  and  thought.  The  assembly  of  1689, 
after  the  promulgation  of  the  Act  of  Toleration,  was  in  many 
respects  the  most  important  ever  held  by  English  Baptists. 
The  assembly  was  careful  to  "  disclaim  any  manner  of  supe- 
riority and  superintendency over  the  churches."  Difference 
of  conviction  and  practice  in  point  of  communion  is  recog- 
nized and  each  church  is  left  free  to  walk  together  as  it 
has  received  from  the  Lord. 

Owing  to  the  difficulty  of  getting  the  churches  to  send  rep- 
resentatives every  year  to  so  great  a  distance  as  the  mainte- 
nance of  a  single  assembly  involved,  it  was  decided  in  1692 
to  divide  the  body  into  two,  the  one  to  meet  in  Bristol,  the 
other  in  London.  "These  assemblies,"  it  was  agreed,  "are 
not  to  be  accountable  to  one  another,  any  more  than  churches 
are."  It  was  further  decided  that  churches  should  not  make 
appeals  to  the  assemblies  to  determine  matters  of  faith  or 
fact.  Reports  of  both  the  assemblies  are  to  be  sent  to  all 
the  churches. 

At  about  this  time  a  grievous  controversy  was  raging  in  the 
Particular  Baptist  body  as  to  "whether  the  praises  of  God 
should  be  sung  in  the  public  assemblies. "  Kiffin,  Cox,  Keach, 
Steed,  and  many  others  were  involved.  All  parties  agreed 
to  "refer  the  matter  to  the  determination  of  seven  brethren 
nominated  by  this  assembly."     The  committee  administered 


A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     180I  II 

a  scathing  rebuke  for  the  unbrotherly  language  that  had  been 
employed,  to  which  the  veterans  submitted  in  all  humility. 

The  Bristol  assembly  seems  for  many  years  to  have  been 
more  vigorously  sustained  than  the  London.  This  was  due, 
no  doubt,  in  part  to  the  fact  that  a  Bristol  Baptist,  Edward 
Terrill,  had  left  in  trust  with  the  Broadmead  Church  a  legacy 
for  ministerial  education,  and  that  Bristol,  early  in  the  eigh- 
teenth century  (1720  onward)  came  to  be  the  educational 
center  of  the  Particular  Baptists. 

Efforts  were  made  during  the  later  years  of  the  seventeenth 
century  and  the  early  years  of  the  eighteenth  to  bring  Par- 
ticular Baptists  and  General  Baptists  closer  together,  and  to 
this  end  the  differences  between  the  two  parties  were  mini- 
mized by  such  men  as  Benjamin  Stinton.  Thomas  Hollis,  the 
wealthy  Baptist  business  man  who  contributed  so  liberally  to 
the  Baptist  cause  in  England,  and  who  endowed  Harvard 
University,  preferred  to  worship  regularly  in  a  Pedobaptist 
church.  If  the  Hollis  family,  with  their  great  wealth  and 
their  remarkable  generosity,  had  been  stanch  Baptists  they 
might  have  given  tone  to  the  Baptist  Hfe  of  England. 

The  General  Baptists,  following  in  the  footsteps  of  the 
Mennonites,  to  whom  they  were  from  the  beginning  closely 
related,  adopted  a  semi-presbyterial  form  of  church  govern- 
ment, giving  to  each  aggrieved  person  a  right  to  appeal  to 
other  churches,  then  to  the  Association  or  general  meeting, 
and  at  last  to  the  General  Assembly.  Thus  every  local  quar- 
rel was  propagated  throughout  the  entire  connection  and  the 
churches  were  ruined  by  controversy.  The  rigorous  exercise 
of  disciphne  on  the  ground  of  differences  of  opinion  drove 
out  of  tlie  body  many  of  its  ministers  and  intelligent  members. 
With  a  few  exceptions,  the  General  Baptist  churches  of  Eng- 
land became  Unitarian  by  about  the  middle  of  the  century, 
as  did  so  many  others  during  this  period. 

The  Particular  Baptists,  so  far  as  they  were  not  drawn  into 
the  maelstrom  of  Socinian  indifferentism,  reacted  against  the 
current  rationalism  so  far  as  to  become  hyper-Calvinistic,  and 
in  some  cases  Antinomian.  They  looked  upon  the  salvation 
or  the  damnation  of  each  individual  as  so  absolutely  fixed  by 
Divine  decree  that  exhortations  to  sinners  and  missionary 
work  in  general  were  looked  upon  as  not  only  useless  but  as 
an  impertinent  meddhng  with  the  Divine  plans.  That  the 
Particular  Baptists  should  have  greatly  declined  during  the 
eighteenth  century  was  what  might  have  been  expected. 

One  of  the  most  aggressive  and  influential  organizations 
among  the   English  Baptists  during  the  eighteenth  century 


12  A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     180I 

was  the  Society  of  Ministers  of  the  Particular  Baptist  Per- 
suasion, meeting  at  the  Gloucestershire  Coffeehouse,  organized 
in  1724,  which  raised  money  for  the  assistance  of  needy 
churches  and  ministers,  for  the  distribution  of  religious  htera- 
ture,  and  for  other  religious  and  philanthropical  purposes, 
passed  upon  the  quahfications  of  candidates  for  the  ministry, 
and  took  measures  for  the  silencing  of  unworthy  ministers.  It 
led  the  denomination  in  efforts  to  secure  the  redress  of  griev- 
ances, undertook  to  defend  the  honor  of  the  denomination 
when  it  was  assailed  from  time  to  time,  corresponded  with 
Baptists  in  the  American  colonies,  counseled  them,  extended 
to  them  financial  aid  when  required,  interceded  with  the 
home  government  on  behalf  of  persecuted  brethren  in  the 
Colonies,  and  in  many  ways  furthered  the  interests  of  the  de- 
nomination at  home  and  abroad.  The  authority  of  this 
body  was  a  purely  moral  one  and  depended  on  its  reputation 
for  wisdom  and  its  command  of  resources.  That  complaints 
should  sometimes  arise  of  undue  assumption  of  authority  and 
interference  with  the  independence  of  the  churches  on  the 
part  of  this  body  might  have  been  expected.  It  was  a  self- 
constituted  body,  its  members  not  even  representing  the 
churches  of  which  they  were  members  and  pastors  in  any 
official  way.  It  was  by  no  means  an  ideal  arrangement ;  but 
it  is  probable  that  these  associated  ministers  did  a  work  for 
the  denomination  and  for  the  cause  of  Christ  that  Avould 
otherwise  have  been  left  undone. 

X.     BAPTISTS    AND    THE    EVANGELICAL    REVIVAL. 

The  evangelical  revival,  led  by  the  Wesleys  and  Whitefield, 
was  of  momentous  importance  to  the  Baptists,  as  it  was  to  the 
Established  Church  and  to  the  various  dissenting  bodies.  It 
found  the  Particular  Baptists  greatly  reduced  in  numbers  and 
influence.  The  educational  work  that  had  been  inaugurated 
at  Bristol  on  the  Terrill  foundation  was  conducted  in  a  very 
feeble  and  ineffective  way  during  the  first  half  of  the  eighteenth 
century  ;  yet  a  considerable  number  of  able  ministers  received 
their  training  there.  The  London  Baptists  were  still  a  re- 
spectable body  and  were  exerting  a  strong  and,  upon  the 
whole,  beneficent  influence  on  the  life  of  the  denomination. 
Several  of  the  Particular  Baptist  Associations  of  which  the  rec- 
ords have  been  preserved,  devoted  much  attention  to  the  pro- 
motion of  godly  living  and  orthodox  teaching,  and  sought  to 
guard  against  Socinianism,-  on  the  one  hand,  and  Antino- 
mianism,  on  the  other.  Yet  it  is  evident  that  there  Avas  an 
almost  irresistible  drift  toward  these  extremes,  and  the  num- 


A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     180I  1 3 

ber  of  those  who  were  able  to  steer  safely  between  Scylla  and 
Charybdis  steadily  diminished.  Those  inclined  toward  Socin- 
ianism  could  have  no  sympathy  for  the  enthusiastic  evangel- 
ism of  Wesley  and  Whitefield,  which  to  them  savored  of 
fanaticism.  Those  who  had  carried  their  Calvinistic  teaching 
to  the  Antinomian  extreme  looked  upon  the  new  evangelism 
as  an  almost  blasphemous  interference  with  the  plans  and 
purposes  of  God.  As  might  have  been  expected,  the  relig- 
ious awakening  not  only  failed  to  win  these  classes  to  its  sup- 
port, but  tended  to  drive  them  to  more  extreme  statements 
of  their  opinions.  But  many  who  were  less  thoroughly  com- 
mitted to  these  extreme  and  unevangelical  views  were  won  to 
the  support  of  the  evangelical  cause  and  the  numbers  of  its 
opponents  steadily  dwindled. 

It  was  to  Andrew  Fuller,  more  than  to  any  other  individual, 
that  restoration  of  the  Particular  Baptist  body  to  its  original 
evangelical  position  was  chiefly  due.  Brought  up  in  an  illiterate 
community,  with  few  educational  advantages,  he  came  under 
the  influence  of  the  great  evangelical  movement.  The 
writings  of  Jonathan  Edwards,  the  great  American  theologian 
and  evangelist,  seem  to  have  greatly  aided  him  in  coming  to 
right  conceptions  of  evangelical  truth.  Through  his  great 
activity  as  a  preacher  and  writer,  multitudes  were  brought  to 
see  the  consistency  between  a  true  preaching  of  the  doctrines 
of  grace  and  the  most  earnest  eff'orts  for  the  salvation  of 
sinners.  His  career  as  a  leader  extended  over  the  last  two 
decades  of  the  eighteenth  century  and  the  first  fifteen  years 
of  the  nineteenth.  Bristol  College  was  greatly  strengthened 
and  brought  to  support  this  evangehcal  type  of  Calvinism. 

The  inauguration  of  Baptist  foreign  missionary  work  under 
the  leadership  of  William  Carey  and  Andrew  Fuller  will  be 
suitably  described  in  a  later  chapter.  It  is  probable  that 
while  Fuller  and  his  associates  by  their  advocacy  of  missions 
accomplished  so  much  for  the  heathen,  even  more  resulted  in 
the  course  of  their  widespread  visitation  of  the  churches 
throughout  England  and  Scotland  for  the  evangelization  of 
the  home  churches.  The  Baptist  cause  in  Great  Britain  was 
by  Fuller's  pubhc  activity  raised  to  a  higher  plane,  and  gained 
a  recognition  at  the  hands  of  leaders  of  other  denominations 
that  had  been  wanting  for  some  generations.  The  marvelous 
preaching  of  Robert  Hall  at  Cambridge  during  the  last  decade 
of  the  century  likewise  contributed  powerfully  to  the  reputa- 
tion and  the  influence  of  the  denomination.  Yet  this  very 
popular  recognition  of  its  great  leaders  by  other  denomina- 
tions proved  a  snare  and  led  to  the  general  adoption  among 


14  A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     18OI 

English  Baptist  churches  of  open  communion,  which  has  no 
doubt  affected  injuriously  the  denominational  growth. 

From  the  foregoing  facts  it  is  evident  that  the  Particular 
Baptists  at  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century  were  awaken- 
ing from  their  lethargy  and  were  entering  upon  a  great  career 
of  growth  in  numbers  and  beneficence. 

The  General  Baptist  cause  at  the  beginning  of  the  evan- 
gelical revival  was  even  more  deplorable  than  that  of  the  Par- 
ticular Baptists.  As  a  result  of  much  effort  and  by  the  influ- 
ence of  Dan  Taylor  (b.  1 738),  who  seemed  raised  up  to  rescue 
the  cause,  representatives  of  fifteen  churches  in  various  parts 
of  England  met  in  London,  June  6,  1770,  to  form  "  the  New 
Connection  of  General  Baptist  churches,  with  a  design  to 
revive  experimental  rehgion  or  primitive  Christianity  in  faith 
and  practice."  The  articles  of  faith  adopted  recognize  the 
fallen  condition  of  men,  who  are  "  captives  of  Satan  till  set  at 
hberty  by  Christ"  ;  insist  upon  "the  perpetual  obligation 
of  the  moral  law"  (against  hyper-Calvinistic  Antinomianism)  ; 
carefully  set  forth  the  deity  and  humanity  of  Christ  and  the 
potential  universality  of  the  atonement  wrought  by  him, 
which  becomes  available  to  individuals  solely  by  faith,  a  faith 
that  '-produces  good  works"  ;  maintain  the  duty  of  offering 
salvation  by  faith  freely  to  all  ;  teach  that  regeneration  is 
the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  make  immersion  "the 
indispensable  duty  of  all  who  repent  and  believe  the  gospel." 

Considerable  prosperity  attended  the  labors  of  the  ministers 
and  churches  of  the  New  Connection  during  the  remainder 
of  the  century.  A  number  of  General  Baptist  churches  con- 
stituting the  Lincolnshire  Association  made  repeated  over- 
tures for  a  union  with  the  New  Connection.  To  this  end 
the  New  Connection  was  urged  to  make  the  conditions  of 
membership  less  rigorous  as  regards  the  signing  of  the  Con- 
fession and  the  personal  religious  experience  of  ministers,  and 
to  agree  to  co-operate  with  the  old  General  Assembly,  which 
continued  to  meet  in  London.  But  Taylor,  the  originator 
of  the  movement,  and  his  associates  were  unyielding,  being 
more  anxious  to  maintain  the  purity  of  the  body  than  to 
increase  its  numbers.  One  by  one  these  churches  accepted 
Taylor's  terms  of  fellowship,  and  by  the  close  of  the  century 
a  large  proportion  had  joined  the  New  Connection.  By  the 
beginning  of  the  present  century  the  New  Connection  num- 
bered in  its  fellowship  forty  churches  and  three  thousand  four 
hundred  members.  It  is  not  probable  that  the  General 
Baptists  of  the  old  order  equaled  this  number,  as  many  of 
their  churches  were  in  a  declining  state. 


A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     1 80I  I  5 

The  New  Connection  established  an  academy  for  the  train- 
ing of  ministers  just  before  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury (1798).  Sunday-schools  were  organized  among  them  as 
early  as  1800,  one  of  them  having  that  year  a  hundred  mem- 
bers. A  General  Baptist  magazine  was  published  for  a  while 
during  the  closing  years  of  the  century,  with  Dan  Taylor  as 
editor.      It  died  of  inanition,  December,  1800. 

The  New  Connection  of  General  Baptists  was  to  have  a 
highly  honorable  career  in  home  and  foreign  mission  work, 
education,  literature,  etc.,  during  most  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  and  at  last  to  be  merged  in  the  great  English  Baptist 
body  that  has  its  rallying  point  in  the  Baptist  Union. 

XI.     AMERICAN    BAPTISTS    TO    THE    GREAT    AWAKENING. 

Our  survey  of  American  Baptist  history  to  the  beginning 
of  the  present  century  may  well  be  made  briefer  than  the 
British,  inasmuch  as  the  facts  are  more  famihar  to  a  large  ma- 
jority of  readers. 

The  first  in  America  to  advocate  Baptist  principles,  so  far 
as  we  are  informed,  was  Roger  Williams.  Born  about  1600, 
educated  at  Cambridge  (B.  A.  1627),  he  became  an  ardent 
Nonconformist  and  at  great  personal  sacrifice  emigrated  to 
New  England  to  escape  the  persecuting  measures  of  Arch- 
bishop Laud.  During  his  pastorate  at  Plymouth  he  spent 
much  time  among  the  Indians,  mastering  their  language  and 
seeking  to  promote  their  moral  and  spiritual  welfare.  As 
pastor  of  the  Salem  Church  (1634-1635)  he  became  involved 
in  local  controversies  and  in  controversies  with  the  Massachu- 
setts authorities.  As  advocating  opinions  dangerous  to  the 
common  welfare  he  was  banished  in  1635.  He  made  his 
way  amid  winter's  hardships  and  perils  to  Narragansett  Bay, 
where  he  was  joined  by  a  number  of  Massachusetts  sympa- 
thizers and  founded  a  colony  on  the  basis  of  soul-liberty, 
which  with  the  co-operation  of  John  Clarke  and  others  was 
developed  into  Rhode  Island. 

By  1639  WiUiams  had  become  convinced  that  infant  bap- 
tism was  unwarranted  by  Scripture  and  a  perversion  of  a 
Christian  ordinance,  and  with  eleven  others  introduced  be- 
hevers'  baptism,  and  formed  at  Providence  the  first  American 
Baptist  church.  Coddington,  who  was  on  Rhode  Island  at 
the  time,  accused  Williams  as  at  one  time  insisting  on  im- 
mersion, and  as  Williams  remained  with  the  Baptists  only  a 
short  time,  it  is  natural  to  apply  his  remark  to  the  time  of  the 
introduction  of  believers'  baptism.  This  church,  after  Wil- 
liams' withdrawal,  continued  for  years  in  an  exceedingly  weak 


1 6  A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     18OI 

state.  The  General  Baptist  type  of  teaching,  with  insistence 
on  the  laying-on  of  hands  as  an  ordinance  of  Christ,  came  to 
prevail  by  1652,  and  the  opponents  of  this  view  withdrew  to 
form  a  new  congregation. 

The  second  American  Baptist  church  was  that  formed  at 
Newport,  about  1641,  under  the  leadership  of  John  Clarke. 
Clarke  arrived  at  Boston  in  November,  1637,  when  perse- 
cuting measures  were  being  inaugurated  against  Mrs.  Anne 
Hutchinson  and  her  followers  on  account  of  their  Antinomian 
teachings.  How  far  he  sympathized  with  Mrs.  Hutchinson's 
views  at  this  time  we  have  no  means  of  knowing.  But  he 
cast  in  his  lot  with  the  persecuted  party  and  led  them  in 
seeking  a  new  home  in  unsettled  territory.  Through  the 
kindly  offices  of  Roger  Williams  they  secured  from  the  natives 
a  title  to  Aquidneck  Island.  Here  they  founded  a  govern- 
ment in  which  the  headship  of  Christ  was  recognized  and 
which  was  purely  democratic  in  form.  This  colony  united 
with  Williams'  Providence  colony  in  procuring  a  charter  in 
which  civil  and  religious  liberty  was  fully  provided  for.  Clarke 
deserves  quite  as  much  credit  as  Williams  for  this  feature  of 
Rhode  Island  polity,  and  his  services  in  England  on  behalf 
of  the  colony  were  quite  as  distinguished.  For  some  time 
Clarke,  who  was  physician  and  theologian  as  well  as  states- 
man, ministered  to  the  entire  community  in  rehgious  things. 
About  1641  or  earlier  Clarke  and  a  number  of  his  fellow- 
colonists  became  "professed  Anabaptists,"  and  began  to 
hold  their  meetings  apart.  In  what  form  and  under  what 
circumstances  they  introduced  believers'  baptism  we  are  not 
informed  ;  but  about  1644  Mark  Lukar,  who  was  among  the 
English  Separatists  that  were  immersed  in  1641  (1642)  be- 
came a  member  of  the  Newport  Church.  If  immersion  w  as 
not  practised  from  the  beginning,  it  was  no  doubt  introduced 
on  Lukar' s  arrival.  The  Newport  Church  was  full  of  mission- 
ary zeal.  Members  of  this  body  sought  to  form  a  Baptist 
church  at  Seekonk,  Massachusetts,  in  1649,  but  were  thwarted 
by  the  authorities.  In  1651  Clarke  and  two  of  his  brethren 
suffered  severe  treatment  at  the  hands  of  the  Massachusetts 
authorities  for  conducting  religious  services  at  Lynn.  Clarke 
narrates  these  sufferings  and  denounces  Massachusetts  intol- 
erance in  "111  News  from  New  England"  (1652). 

As  already  indicated,  the  Massachusetts  government  pur- 
sued a  policy  of  extermination  toward  Baptists  and  no  per- 
manent organization  of  Baptist  life  was  allowed  until  late  in 
the  century.  Henry  Dunster,  the  first  president  of  Harvard 
College  (1640-1655),  was  obliged,  under  circumstances  of 


A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO    1 8oi  J  7 

great  hardship,  to  rehnquish  his  position  because  of  his  per- 
sistence in  opposing  the  baptism  of  infants.      In  1663  John 
xMyles,  a  Welsh  Baptist  pastor,  emigrated  to  Massachusetts  with 
his  church,  secured  a  grant  of  land  near  the  Rhode  Island  fron- 
tier, and  established  a  settlement  and  church,  which  they  named 
Swansea.     Here  they  enjoyed  a  considerable  measure  of  free- 
dom.   The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Boston  was  organized  in 
1665  and  for  years  suffered  grievously  at  the  hands  of  the  au- 
thorities.     In  1682  a  small  band  of  Baptists,  several  of  whom 
had  been  members  of  the  Boston  church,  formed  an  organiza- 
tion at  Kittery,  Maine.      Driven  from  Maine  soon  afterward 
they  setded  in  South  Carolina,  and  formed  the  Charleston 
Church,  about  1684.    In  the  Quaker  colonies.  New  Jersey  and 
Pennsylvania,  Baptists  appeared  about  1682,  and  by  1707  at 
least  six  churches  had  been  organized.      They  were  largely 
Welsh,  but  included  a  considerable  number  from  New  Eng- 
land.     The  Philadelphia  Association  was  formed  in  1707  and 
became  a  chief  means  of  extending  and  conserving  Baptist 
influence.     As  late  as  1729  there  were  in  New  England  only 
three  Calvinistic  Baptist  churches,  while  there  were  two  Sab- 
batarian and  thirteen  General  Baptist  churches.     The  latter 
had  for  some  time  held  annual  Associational  meetings.      The 
Charleston  Church  had  also  come  under  Arminian  influence 
and  had  been  almost  wrecked   by  internal  strife.      It  is  not 
probable  that  the  entire  Baptist  membership  in  America  much 
exceeded  live  hundred  at  the  beginning  of  the  Great  Awak- 
ening (1733). 

XII.    AMERICAN    BAPTISTS    FROM    THE   GREAT     AWAKENING   TO 
THE    END    OF    THE    EIGHTEENTH    CENTURY. 

With  kw  exceptions,  the  Baptists  of  1 740  were  not  aggres- 
sive or  enterprising.  They  held  aloof  from  the  Great  Awak- 
ening led  by  Edwards,  Whitefield,  the  Tennents,  etc.,  re- 
fusing in  some  cases  to  open  their  churches  for  evangelistic 
services.  And  yet  no  denomination  profited  more  largely  by 
the  revival.  The  Philadelphia  Association  from  1750  onward 
exerted  a  stimulating  and  molding  influence  on  the  feeble 
Baptist  churches  in  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  and  South 
Carohna,  and  secured  the  organization  of  many  new  churches 
and  the  formation  of  Associations  for  the  conservation  and 
advancement  of  Baptist  life. 

In  New  England  many  Separate  or  "New  Light"  Con- 
gregational churches  were  formed  by  reason  of  the  opposition 
of  ministers  and  churches  to  the  revival,  and  some  of  these 
"New  Light"  churches  came  to  feel  that  their  demand  for 

B 


1 8  A    SURVEY    OF    BAPTIST    HISTORY    TO     180I 

regenerate  membership  logically  involved  the  abandonment 
of  infant  baptism  and  accepted  the  Baptist  position.  In  some 
cases  whole  congregations,  with  their  pastors,  became  Baptist ; 
in  other  cases  churches  were  divided.  The  older  Baptist 
churches  gave  little  encouragement  to  the  "New  Light" 
Baptists  and  for  a  long  time  would  have  no  fellowship  with 
them.  But  a  new  vital  force  had  come  to  the  Baptist  cause, 
and  in  a  few  years  the  evangelistic  Baptists  were  greatly  in 
the  majority  in  New  England  and  throughout  the  South. 

The  excessive  enthusiasm  of  the  Separate  Baptists  was 
everywhere  tempered  by  the  conservative  missionary  influence 
that  emanated  from  the  Philadelphia  Association.  Highly 
educated  men  went  forth  in  every  direction  from  the  Phila- 
delphia body.  Hezekiah  Smith  as  evangelist,  financial  agent 
for  the  college,  pastor,  and  army  chaplain,  disseminated  the 
Philadelphia  influence  throughout  New  England  and  else- 
where. The  influence  of  this  body,  exerted  persistently  and 
through  many  channels,  broke  down  the  middle  wall  of  par- 
tition between  Baptists  of  the  old  and  new  types,  and  at  last 
secured  everywhere  Associational  organization  and  conserva- 
tive but  aggressive  denominational  life. 

In  Virginia  Separate  Baptists  led  in  the  glorious  struggle 
for  civil  and  religious  liberty  (i  775-1799)  and  secured  the  co- 
operation of  the  Regulars.  The  two  parties  united  in  1785. 
The  Virginia  Baptists  were  largely  instrumental  in  securing 
religious  liberty  for  all,  and  at  last  in  compassing  the  dises- 
tablishment of  the  Episcopal  Church  and  the  confiscation  of 
its  glebe  lands,  etc.  To  them  also  was  due  in  part  the  ample 
provision  for  liberty  of  conscience  in  the  United  States  Con- 
stitution. In  New  England,  Separate  Baptists,  like  Backus, 
co-operated  with  Baptists  of  the  Philadelphia  type,  hke  Man- 
ning, Smith,  Davis,  and  Stillman,  in  an  equally  heroic  but 
less  successful  struggle  for  absolute  rehgious  liberty  and 
equality.  The  services  of  American  Baptists  in  the  cause  of 
civil  and  religious  liberty  are  acknowledged  by  scholars  of 
other  denominations. 

Albert  Henry  Newman. 


II 

SURVEY  OF  AMERICAN  BAPTIST  FORCES  AT  THE 
BEGINNING  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY^ 


At  the  outset  I  am  confronted  by  two  impossible  things  : 
First,  it  is  impossible  to  draw  a  truly  realistic  picture  of  times 
prior  to  one's  own  experience,  observation,  and  recollection. 
Strong,  indeed,  must  be  the  historic  imagination  that  can  put 
one  in  his  grandfather's  place  and  cause  him  to  see  with  his 
grandfather's  eyes. 

Secondly,  it  is  impossible  to  find  distinct  lines  of  cleavage 
at  any  century  milestone.  Concerning  any  great  thought  or 
movement  of  time,  who  can  put  his  finger  on  date  and  place 
and  confidently  say.  This  is  when  and  where  it  started  ? 
Past,  present,  and  coming  events  are  mingled  and  related  like 
the  waves  of  the  sea. 

Besides  these  things,  impossible  to  all  men,  there  is 
another  to  me  exceedingly  difficult — to  look  back  at  all. 
But  as  it  is  assigned  to  me  to  tell  somewhat  of  the  Baptists 
one  hundred  years  ago,  reluctantly  and  only  temporarily  I 
face  to  the  rear  and  turn  back  the  shadows  on  the  dial-plate 
of  time  one  hundred  years.  The  time  is  January  i,  1800. 
The  place  is  Philadelphia,  both  capital  and  metropolis  of  the 
United  States.  The  alien  and  sedition  laws  are  in  force. 
John  Adams  is  president,  with  fast-fading  power,  prestige, 
and  popularity,  and  this  very  year  he  will  be  overwhelmingly 
beaten  by  Thomas  Jefferson,  who  will  be  inaugurated  next 
March  at  the  new  capital  on  the  Potomac.  George  Wash- 
ington has  been  dead  about  two  weeks.  The  old  Philadel- 
phia Association,  which  for  nearly  a  century  rarely  convened 
out  of  this  city,  has  been  kept  out  now  for  three  years  in 
succession   because  of  a  prevailing  fever.      Since  1797  they 

1  The  substance  of  this  article  was  given  as  an  address  at  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention assembled  at  Hot  Springs,  Ark.,  May,  1900.  Owing  to  the  pressure  of  other 
work  the  author,  who  had  agreed,  at  the  editor's  request,  to  revise  the  stenographic 
report  of  the  address  and  to  adapt  it  for  use  in  this  volume,  was  unable  to  do  so ;  but 
he  gave  to  the  editor  permission  to  make  such  omissions  and  additions  as  he  might 
deem  desirable.  The  section  on  the  Baptists  of  the  New  England  and  Middle  States 
was  inserted  by  the  editor. 

19 


20  SURVEY    OF    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    FORCES 

have  been  praying,  fasting  and  resolving  concerning  this 
dreadful  visitation  ,  and  for  at  least  seven  years  to  come  each 
annual  minute  will  record  that  Philadelphia  has  been  selected 
as  the  place  of  the  next  meeting,  provided  there  be  no  recur- 
rence of  the  mahgnant  and  contagious  fever. 

One  hundred  years  ago  !  How  must  one  shrink  to  fit  the 
environment  !  Westward  the  national  boundaries  extend  to 
the  Mississippi  River,  southward  to  the  mouth  of  the  Yazoo 
River  near  Vicksburg,  but  nowhere  touching  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico.  Spanish  Florida,  joining  hands  with  Spanish  Lou- 
isiana, blocks  the  way  southward  and  westward.  This  very 
year  Louisiana — a  veritable  empire  of  territory — will  be 
retroceded  to  France,  and  three  years  hence  Jefferson  will 
buy  it  from  Bonaparte,  whose  fear  of  Admiral  Nelson  sur- 
renders colonial  empire,  for  the  paltry  sum  of  $15,000,000. 
This  purchase,  beyond  reasonable  doubt,  includes  Texas, 
which  will  not  be  claimed,  and  whose  admission  forty-five 
years  later,  when  repurchased  by  the  blood  of  revolution, 
will  be  strenuously  resisted  by  New  England.  The  great 
northwest  territory,  ceded  by  Virginia  and  conquered  by 
George  Rogers  Clark,  has  been  open  to  settlement  for  three 
years. 

One  hundred  years  ago  !  It  is  just  eight  years  since  Eli 
Whitney,  at  Savannah,  invented  the  cotton-gin,  which  will 
revolutionize  the  industrial  world.  And  though  there  are 
some  people  both  North  and  South  experimenting  with  the 
application  of  steam  to  navigation  and  commerce,  it  is  yet 
seven  years  to  Fulton's  steamboat  and  thirty  years  to  the  first 
railroad  and  forty-four  years  to  the  first  telegraphic  message. 
The  reaper,  the  power-loom,  and  a  thousand  other  mighty 
inventions  are  in  the  unknown  future. 

But  what  about  the  Baptists  of  that  day?  It  is  impossible 
in  the  limits  assigned  me  in  this  article  to  more  than  glance 
at  salient  points,  barely  touching  the  mountain  tops  of  loftiest 
events.  As  my  theme  is  American  Baptists,  I  shall  leave  our 
EngHsh  brethren  to  other  hands. 

I.     THE    WHOLE    UNITED    STATES    OF    AMERICA. 

In  the  United  States  we  have  as  data,  contemporaneous 
with  the  first  census  in  1790,  "Asplund's  Register,"  which 
shows  in  statistics.  State  by  State,  that  there  were  in  this 
country  five  hundred  and  sixty-four  Baptist  preachers,  seven 
hundred  and  forty-eight  churches,  and  sixty  thousand  nine 
hundred  and  seventy  members.  But  that  was  ten  years  ago. 
A    circular  letter  to   be   read  next  year — 1801 — before   the 


AT    THE    BEGINNING    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURV     21 

Philadelphia  Association,  will  say  :  "  We  have  entered  upon 
a  new  century,  and  while  it  is  yet  in  the  morning  of  it,  let  us 
take  a  view  of  some  of  the  works  of  God  in  the  last.  Ninety- 
four  years  have  rolled  on  since  the  first  meeting  of  this  Asso- 
ciation, the  first  in  America,  and  then  composed  of  only  five 
churches  ;  but  viewing  the  present  state  of  our  connection  in 
this  country,  we  perceive  it  to  be  as  the  thousands  of  Israel, 
embracing  numerous  Associations,  composed  of  at  least  one 
thousand  two  hundred  churches,  including  more  than  one  hun- 
dred thousand  members. ' '  The  writer  does  not  give  the  origi- 
nal sources  of  information  from  which  he  obtained  his  figures, 
but  he  seems  to  speak  advisedly  and  with  confidence.  Fortu- 
nately we  have  the  full  text  of  the  Centennial  Sermon,  com- 
memorative of  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Association,  which  was  preached  in  1807.  The 
preacher  is  Samuel  Jones,  a  noted  man  in  his  day.  He 
preached  from  William  Carey's  text  to  show  that  the  great 
things  expected  and  attempted  fourteen  years  ago  have  been 
marvelously  fulfilled.  Without  accurate  statistics  before  him 
from  other  Associations,  the  preacher  concludes  that  there 
are  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  thousand  five  hundred  Bap- 
tists in  the  United  States  in  1807.  He  reckons  one  hundred 
and  ninety-four  churches  in  Massachusetts  and  one  hundred 
and  fifty  in  New  York.  He  observes  with  pleasure  that 
religious  persecution  of  his  brethren  had  ceased  in  Virginia 
and  had  abated  in  Massachusetts.  He  calls  special  attention 
to  the  missionary  spirit,  prevalent  for  years  in  many  places, 
tending  to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  heathen  world,  and  expects 
the  millennium  to  come  by  the  opening  of  the  twentieth  cen- 
tury.     We  can  testify  that  it  has  not  yet  arrived. 

To  put  the  condition  before  you  in  a  realizing  way,  we 
may  safely  say :  One  hundred  years  ago  there  were  in  the 
United  States  about  half  as  many  Baptists  as  there  are  white 
Baptists  in  Texas  to-day,  and  that  there  are  in  Texas  to-day 
more  Baptist  preachers,  churches,  members,  and  schools  than 
there  were  in  the  whole  world  a  century  ago.  Unquestion- 
ably the  great  and  historic  Association  in  the  United  States 
one  hundred  years  ago  was  the  Philadelphia  Association  ;  it 
is  the  Mother  Eve  of  American  Associations.  From  the 
beginning  it  has  been  sound  in  faith  and  missionary  in  spirit. 
We  hear  much  in  that  olden  time  of  Virginia  and  the  Caro- 
linas  sending  help  in  many  ways  to  New  England,  but 
Philadelphia  sent  help  southward  and  her  gospel  came  with 
healing  in  its  wrings.  There  was  in  1800  no  State  or  national 
organization  of  our  people,  but  there  were  general  commit- 


22  SURVEY    OF    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    FORCES 

tees,  and  widespread  co-operation  for  missions,  education, 
and  particularly  for  mutual  protection  against  civil  and  re- 
ligious persecution.  There  were  no  Sunday-schools  of  the 
modern  kind,  but  there  was  much  private  and  catechetical 
instruction.  All  the  principles  underlying  the  wider  forms 
of  present  co-operation  were  then  in  full  force. 

II.     OLD    VIRGINIA. 

My  heart  always  thrills  at  the  name.  The  history  of  two 
States  in  this  Union  furnishes  higher  themes  for  epic  poems 
than  the  less  heroic  affairs  which  inspired  the  songs  of  Homer 
and  Virgil.  One  of  the  two  is  Virginia — modesty  forbids 
that  I  name  the  other.  From  the  beginning  of  its  entrancing 
history  until  this  good  hour,  life  in  the  Old  Dominion  was  set 
to  heroic  measure.  Higher  criticism  has  utterly  failed  to 
destroy  the  historic  verity  of  the  romantic  story  of  John 
Smith  and  Pocahontas.  You  know  Virginia  once  extended 
on  the  Atlantic  coast  from  Cape  Cod  to  Florida  and  straight 
westward  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  supposed  to  lie  somewhere 
back  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  The  religious  denominations  were 
famous  in  old  Virginia.  The  Episcopal  was  the  State  Church, 
which  for  support  made  awful  inroads  on  Baptist  tobacco. 

The  Baptists,  who  were  as  plentiful  as  blackberries,  them- 
selves sometimes  experimented.  In  the  year  before  the 
American  Revolution,  they  gravely  restore  apostolic  succes- 
sion by  electing  three  apostles  with  marvelous  powers  and 
responsibilities.  One  year  of  it  was  enough.  Time  fails 
me  to  tell  the  wondrous  story  of  Baptist  progress  in  Vir- 
ginia— of  their  great  revivals,  their  preachers,  and  their  suf- 
ferings. A  notable  and  far-reaching  event  in  their  history 
was  the  happy  union  of  the  Separate  and  Regular  Baptists 
under  the  title  of  the  United  Baptist  Churches  of  Christ  in 
Virginia.  Writing  in  1809,  Robert  Semple,  the  historian  of 
the  Virginia  Baptists,  gives  a  graphic  account  of  this  union, 
which  occurred  twenty-two  years  before.  Throughout  the 
Southern  States  the  same  union  was  accomplished,  culmi- 
nating in  Kentucky  in  1799.  I  have  myself  seen  the  old 
church  letters  of  the  three  varieties — Separate,  Regular,  and 
United,  and  counted  all  of  them  valid. 

After  the  Revolutionary  War  there  were  wonderful  revivals 
among  the  Virginia  Baptists.  In  1 790-1 792  there  were  two 
hundred  churches  and  twenty  thousand  members,  to  become 
as  the  new  century  opens  nearly  four  hundred  churches  with 
thirty-five  thousand  members,  and  that  too,  after  peopling 
Kentucky  by  migration.      Oftentimes  a  whole  church,  pastor 


AT    THE    BEGINNING    OF   THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY     23 

and  people,  would  move  together  to  a  new  field  without  a 
break  in  organization  or  regular  service.  As  in  the  beginning 
"the  groves  were  God's  first  temples,"  so  the  campfires  of 
these  moving  Virginians  lighted  up  the  primeval  forest  as  they 
worshiped  God.  In  the  first  church  to  which  I  ever  preached 
was  a  colony  of  Virginia  Baptists,  all  members  of  one  of  the 
churches  ministered  to  by  the  venerable  Andrew  Broaddus,  of 
Caroline.  A  century  ago  there  were  twice  as  many  Baptists 
in  Virginia  as  in  New  York  and  more  than  in  all  New  Eng- 
land. Only  last  year,  1799,  their  General  Committee  gave 
way  to  their  General  Conference  which,  in  turn,  will  become 
their  General  Association.  Their  annual  meetings  were  fa- 
mous for  spiritual  power,  and  never  failed  to  leave  a  lasting 
and  favorable  impress  behind.  A  Methodist  preacher  once 
told  me  that  the  Baptists  captured  Virginia  by  the  power  of 
their  annual  meetings,  particularly  of  the  old  Dover  Associa- 
tion and  their  General  Association.  Perhaps  the  three  great- 
est leaders  in  Virginia  one  hundred  years  ago,  were  John 
Leland,  Andrew  Broaddus,  Sr. ,  and  Robert  Semple.  John 
Leland  was  a  mighty  man  of  affairs,  and  played  no  small  part 
in  the  revolutionary  movements  of  his  day.  Andrew  Broad- 
dus was  in  every  way  a  remarkable  man.  Think  of  it,  ye  as- 
piring young  preachers  who  long  for  fat  city  pastorates,  how 
this  man  kept  refusing  calls  to  New  York,  Boston,  Philadel- 
phia, and  other  mighty  centers,  that  he  might  abide  with  his 
dear  old  country  churches.  Semple  became  the  historian  of 
that  historic  time,  and  you  would  do  good  to  yourself  by  add- 
ing to  your  hbrary  his  valuable  record. 

III.    OTHER    SOUTHERN    STATES. 

In  North  Carolina  in  1792,  there  were  ninety-four  churches 
with  seven  thousand  five  hundred  members,  to  become  in 
1 81 2,  two  hundred  and  four  churches  with  twelve  thousand 
five  hundred  members.  Here  were  two  Associations,  one  of 
them  unhappily  to  become  anti-missionary  in  spirit,  the  other 
to  send  out  later,  by  way  of  compensation,  William  T.  Brantly 
and  Basil  Manly,  the  name  of  each  to  be  perpetuated  in  a 
mighty  son. 

In  South  Carolina,  1792,  there  were  seventy  churches  with 
three  thousand  members,  to  become  in  181 2,  one  hundred 
and  fifty  churches  with  eleven  thousand  members.  The  very 
name  of  this  State  and  date  spontaneously  calls  up  the  image 
of  the  most  colossal  Baptist  of  his  day  on  the  American  con- 
tinent, Richard  Furman,  whose  name  is  perpetuated  in  a  great 
university.      My  soul  thrills  as  I  watch  the  movements  of  this 


24  SURVEY    OF    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    FORCES 

prince  in  Israel  during  that  stormy  period.  I  see  Cornwallis 
posting  rewards  for  his  apprehension,  so  formidable  is  this 
patriot  to  British  aggression.  To  the  front  always  was  he,  in 
every  enterprise  of  peace  or  war,  everywhere  the  advocate  of 
civil  and  religious  liberty.  Blessed  with  large  wealth,  a  superb 
gentleman,  an  irreproachable  character  challenging  the  respect 
even  of  his  enemies,  a  leader  and  organizer  of  men,  Richard 
Furman's  name  must  ever  remain  on  fame's  historic  roll  of 
the  immortals. 

In  Georgia,  1792,  there  were  fifty  churches,  seventy-two 
preachers,  and  three  thousand  members,  to  become  in  1813 
five  Associations,  one  hundred  and  sixty-four  churches,  and 
fifteen  thousand  members.  The  mighty  men  of  this  State 
are  Henry  Holcombe  and  Jesse  Mercer.  Holcombe  will  this 
very  year,  1800,  organize  the  first  Baptist  church  in  Savannah, 
and  two  years  hence  commence  his  pubHcation  of  the  ' '  Ana- 
lytical Repository."  Jesse  Mercer,  a  young  man,  is  even  now 
outstripping  his  great  father.  It  must  have  been  a  thrilling 
time  when  this  young  man,  in  1791,  accompanied  his  father 
all  the  way  from  Georgia  to  a  meeting  of  the  General  Com- 
mittee of  Virginia  at  Nuckolls'  meeting-house,  Goochland 
County,  and  there  heard  in  succession  his  father  preach  Cal- 
vinism and  their  fellow-Georgian,  Jeremiah  Walker,  preach 
Arminianisra.  One  of  the  most  effective  sermons  ever 
preached  on  foreign  missions  was  by  Jesse  Mercer,  from  Acts 
13  :  47.  Every  drop  of  blood  in  his  veins  was  missionary 
blood.  His  gift  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  at  one 
time  sent  the  first  missionaries  to  Texas.  Let  all  Texas  for- 
ever hold  him  in  loving  remembrance.  Soon  another  gift 
will  found  Mercer  University. 

Kentucky,  in  1792,  had  forty-two  churches  and  three  thou- 
sand members,  to  become  in  181 2,  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
five  churches  with  twenty-two  thousand  members.  Among 
the  early  Kentucky  Baptists  were  the  brother  and  children 
of  Daniel  Boone.  Unfortunately  in  much  of  Kentucky,  and 
indeed  of  the  Southwest,  there  prevailed  an  inveterate  preju- 
dice against  educated  and  salaried  ministers. 

Tennessee,  in  1792,  had  twenty-one  churches  with  nine 
hundred  members,  to  become  in  181 2,  one  hundred  and 
fifty-six  churches  with  eleven  thousand  three  hundred  and 
twenty-three  members.  The  Baptist  growth  in  Maryland 
has  always  been  slow.  Armitage  reports  for  1793  only  seven- 
teen churches,  thirteen  preachers,  and  nine  hundred  and 
twenty  members. 

It  will  be  eight  years  before  a  Baptist  church  will  be  organ- 


AT    THE    BEGINNING    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY    2$ 

ized  in  the  Indian  wilds  of  Alabama  Territory,  not  to  become 
until  1812,  seventy  churches  with  two  thousand  five  hundred 
members.  In  the  territory  now  comprising  Mississippi,  a 
part  of  which  was  ceded  to  the  United  States  in  1797  and 
another  part  in  18 19,  a  church  was  constituted  as  early  as 
1780,  and  eight  years  afterward  another  church.  By  1806 
the  Mississippi  Baptist  Association  is  organized  with  six 
churches.  In  181 2  there  will  be  seventeen  churches  with 
seven  hundred  and  sixty-four  members.  The  early  Baptists 
of  this  territory  suffered  much  from  persecution  in  the  days 
of  Spanish  power.  They  were  arrested,  imprisoned,  and 
threatened  with  deportation  to  the  mines  in  Mexico,  until 
they  demanded  immunity  from  persecution  by  force  of  arms. 
The  Baptists  were  the  first  to  convey  the  gospel  beyond 
the  Mississippi  River.  About  eight  Baptists,  including  one 
preacher  and  the  members  of  the  Boone  family  from  Ken- 
tucky, were  in  the  territory  now  comprised  by  Missouri  as 
early  as  1800.  There  was  one  baptism.  By  181 2  there  will 
be  seven  churches  with  one  hundred  and  ninety-two  mem- 
bers. This  is  but  a  scant  and  unsatisfectory  glance  at  the 
status  of  Baptist  churches  of  our  land  one  hundred  years 
ago. 

IV.    THE    NEW    ENGLAND    AND    MIDDLE    STATES. 

The  Baptist  cause  in  New  England  had  received  a  large 
increment  of  life  and  strength  in  connection  with  the  great 
awakening  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Most 
of  the  Baptist  churches  that  had  been  previously  organized 
opposed  the  movement  and  closed  their  doors  even  to  such 
preachers  as  Whitefield  and  the  Tennents  ;  but  many  of  the 
Congregationalists  of  the  New  Light  type  reached  the  con- 
viction that  the  pure  and  spiritual  church-membership  for 
which  they  contended  and  for  which  they  separated  from  the 
churches  of  the  Standing  Order  could  be  secured  only  by  the 
rejection  of  infant  baptism  and  the  baptism  of  believers  into 
church-fellowship  on  a  profession  of  saving  faith.  These 
Separate  or  New  Light  Baptists  soon  greatly  outnumbered 
the  Regulars  and  were  able  at  last  to  secure  recognition  from 
these.  The  New  Light  Baptists  proved  by  far  more  aggres- 
sive than  the  Regulars  in  evangelism  and  in  efforts  to  secure 
civil  and  religious  equality.  Under  the  leadership  of  Backus, 
Manning,  Hezekiah  Smith,  and  others,  the  Warren  Associa- 
tion had  been  formed  for  co-operative  work,  Rhode  Island 
College  had  been  estabhshed,  and  an  uncompromising  warfare 
against  the  Established  Church  had  been  inaugurated.      New 


26  SURVEY    OF    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    FORCES 

England  Baptists  made  far  less  progress  during  the  revolu- 
tionary time  (17 74-1 783)  and  during  the  rest  of  the  century 
than  did  their  brethren  in  the  South.  The  chief  cause  of 
the  difference  in  prosperity  seems  to  have  been  as  follows  : 
In  Virginia  and  throughout  the  vSouth  the  Standing  Order 
(Episcopalian)  had  grown  exceedingly  unpopular,  owing  to 
the  corruption  of  its  ministers  and  their  lack  of  sympathy  with 
the  aspirations  of  the  masses  of  the  people  for  civil  hberty. 
Baptists  threw  themselves  heartily  into  the  revolutionary 
cause  and  gained  such  popularity  that  they  went  forward  by 
leaps  and  bounds  and  were  able  to  secure  a  full  recognition 
of  their  religious  equahty  and  the  complete  separation  of 
Church  and  State.  In  New  England,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  Standing  Order  was  less  corrupt  and  constituted  the  bone 
and  sinew  of  the  patriotic  cause.  Baptists  at  the  very  out- 
break of  the  Revolution  were  agitating  for  a  redress  of  their 
grievances,  and  at  a  critical  time,  when  the  energies  of  the 
New  England  people  were  concentrated  on  the  necessity  of 
resisting  what  was  regarded  as  British  tyranny,  Baptists  per- 
sisted in  thrusting  their  demands  for  religious  equahty  on  the 
attention  of  the  authorities,  and  they  even  threatened  to 
withhold  their  co-operation  in  revolutionary  efforts  and  to 
appeal  to  the  English  government  for  the  rights  denied  them 
by  the  colonial.  New  England  Baptists  were  not  lacking  in 
patriotism  when  the  Revolution  had  begun  ;  but  they  had 
lost  greatly  in  popularity  and  could  not  hope  either  to  win 
the  masses  to  their  cause  or  to  secure  a  speedy  redress  of 
their  grievances.  The  present  century  had  made  considera- 
ble progress  before  rehgious  equality  was  secured  by  the  Bap- 
tists for  themselves  and  others  in  Massachusetts  and  Connec- 
ticut. At  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  there  were 
fewer  Baptists  in  the  New  England  States  combined  than  in 
Virginia  alone,  while  the  number  of  Baptists  in  New  York, 
New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and  Delaware  did  not  much  ex- 
ceed that  of  Nortli  Carolina. 

While  the  Philadelphia  Association  was,  throughout  the 
early  and  middle  portions  of  the  eighteenth  century,  a  great 
evangehzing  body,  exercising  a  powerful  molding  influence 
on  the  Baptist  life  of  the  Southern  and  Middle  States,  and 
instrumental  in  the  founding  of  Rhode  Island  College  (Brown 
University),  it  had  failed  to  utilize  the  rehgious  forces  of  the 
Great  Awakening  and  had  gained  no  advantage  from  the 
patriotic  quickening  of  the  revolutionary  time.  Morgan 
Edwards,  one  of  the  influential  members  of  the  Association, 
earnestly  opposed  the  Revolution  and  it  is  probable  that  a 


AT    THE    BEGINNING    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY    2/ 

large  proportion  of  the  Baptists  of  the  Middle  States  fell 
short  of  the  chivalric  devotion  to  the  revolutionary  cause  that 
redounded  so  largely  to  the  advantage  of  their  Southern 
brethren. 

Baptist  work  was  still  in  its  infancy  in  the  northwest.  The 
Miami  Association  in  Ohio,  with  ten  churches  and  two  hun- 
dred and  ninety-one  members,  and  four  other  small  churches 
in  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Illinois,  were  all  that  the  beginning 
of  the  century  could  show  in  what  was  to  prove  one  of  the- 
most  fruitful  fields  of  Baptist  enterprise. 

V.     A    GENERAL    RETROSPECT. 

Any  careful  retrospect  over  the  field  of  modern  Baptist  his- 
tory reveals  at  a  glance  certain  mighty  facts  or  movements, 
uphfting  themselves  into  clear  visibility  far  above  the  dead 
level  of  ordinary  events,  as  mountain  peaks  tower  above  the 
plain.  Look  back  yonder  while  I  point  them  out,  peak  by 
peak,  and  discern  the  mountain  springs  from  which  flow  the 
streams  whose  mingled  currents  make  up  the  river  of  present 
denominational  power. 

1.  First  of  all,  the  giving  of  the  Bible  to  the  common 
people  of  the  English-speaking  world.  The  Bible,  in  the 
mother  tongue,  Avithout  note  of  expert  or  comment  of  scholar, 
without  a  priestly  shadow  to  darken  one  luminous  page — the 
naked  Bible,  the  Father's  message  to  men — naturally  makes 
Baptists.  One  of  the  most  thrilling  and  instructive  classics  in 
our  language  is  Harwood  Pattison's  "  History  of  the  English 
Bible."  A  few  days  ago,  while  dining  in  Judson  Memorial 
Hall  with  a  son  of  Adoniram  Judson,  I  found  myself  com- 
mending this  book  to  a  bright  young  man,  who  proved  to  be 
Pattison's  own  son.      He  promised  to  read  the  book. 

2.  Next  comes  as  the  natural  sequence  of  a  free  Bible, 
that  mighty  struggle  between  the  ParHament  and  Charles  I., 
which  culminated  in  the  Commonwealth.  To  ignore  that 
period  seals  up  history.  Ignorance  of  it  makes  it  impossible 
to  understand  the  Baptists  of  to-day.  It  was  a  colossal  strife 
for  civil  and  religious  liberty.  Victories  were  won  in  that  day 
whose  laurels  will  never  fade  and  whose  influence  will  never  die. 
And  whenever  and  wherever  that  fight  has  raged  in  the  last 
nineteen  centuries  you  may  count  that  Baptists  were  in  it,  as 
confidently  as  you  look  for  an  Irishman  at  a  wake.  Wherever 
Cromwell's  armies  marched,  the  Baptists,  who  constituted  a 
large,  heroic,  and  influential  part  of  them,  deposited  the  im- 
perishable seeds  of  their  principles.  In  his  Irish  garrison,  1655, 
were  twelve  Baptist  governors  of  cities,  ten  colonels,  three  heu- 


28  SURVEY    OF    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    FORCES 

tenant  colonels,  ten  majors,  and  forty-three  company  officers. 
In  Scotland  they  stood  unabashed  under  the  frowns  of  John 
Knox,  resisting  even  Cromwell' slater  ambition,  reminding  him 
of  their  timely  help  at  Dunbar,  and  still  later  petition  the  fa- 
mous General  Monk,  the  king  restorer,  for  high  civil  and 
religious  rights.  The  times  ripened  their  literary  genius  until 
it  kindled  flames  whose  light  illumined  the  skies  of  the  world, 
and  whose  aspiring  sparks  hailed  the  stars.  "The  blind  old 
bard  of  Scio's  rocky  isle"  was  outsoared  in  epic  fame  by  a 
bhnd  Baptist  bard,  iron  Cromwell's  Latin  secretary.  A  "  Pil- 
grim "  crept  through  the  bars  of  Bedford  Jail  and  went  forth 
into  more  byways  and  highways,  knocking  at  more  doors,  and 
speaking  to  more  peoples  in  their  mother  tongues  than  ever 
before  or  since  a  literary  pilgrim  has  done.  The  tinker  is 
dead.  The  "Pilgrim"  moves  on,  outlasting  the  wandering 
Jew.  Indeed,  the  tall,  widespreading  Baptist  tree  of  to-day 
is  deep-rooted  in  Cromwell's  time. 

3.  Next  in  order  of  time  and  natural  sequence  comes 
The  Act  of  Toleration,  1689,  during  the  reign  of  William  and 
Mary.  This  was  life  to  England  as  the  Revocation  of  the 
Edict  of  Nantes  was  death  to  France.  They  will  stand  over 
against  each  other,  till  the  judgment,  in  everlasting  contrast, 
as  light  and  darkness.  That  evil  stroke  of  the  pen  of  Louis 
XIV.  hurt  France  more  than  the  defeats  at  Blenheim,  Oude- 
narde,  and  Malplaquet  ;  that  signature  of  William  III.  up- 
lifted England  more  than  all  Marlborough's  victories;  and 
both  mightily  built  up  the  Baptist  power  in  England  and  her 
colonies. 

4.  Later  in  date,  but  more  far-reaching  in  power  is  Wil- 
Ham  Carey's  foreign  mission  sermon.  When  he  spoke  the 
sleeping  world  heard  two  far-off  cries  :  One  from  heathen 
lands,  "come  over  and  help  us,"  and  one  from  the  mount 
of  ascension:  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature."  And  wherever  and  whenever 
since,  oppression  lifts  its  heavy  hand  from  Baptist  necks  and 
God  sends  revivals,  they  hear  those  two  voices  made  audible 
by  Carey's  sermon.  The  cobbler's  body  hes  mouldering  in 
the  ground,  but  the  cobbler's  soul  goes  marching  on. 

5.  Passing  over  to  the  New  World,  the  struggle  for  religious 
and  civil  liberty  in  America,  culminating  when  the  members 
of  the  old  Philadelphia  Association,  then  holding  their  seventy- 
fourth  session,  were  roused  at  midnight  by  the  watchman's 
cry:  "Past  12  o'clock  and  all  is  well,  and  CornwalUs  has 
sur re  tide  red.''''  Hence  their  resolution:  "And  now,  dear 
brethren,  we  feel  ourselves  constrained  to  acknowledge  the 


AT    THE    BEGINNING    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY     29 

great  goodness  of  God  towards  us,  and  to  call  on  you  to  join 
with  us  in  thankfulness  and  praise,  as  well  for  the  unanimity 
and  brotherly  love  which  prevailed  throughout  our  meeting, 
as  for  the  recent  signal  success  granted  to  the  American  arms 
in  the  surrender  of  the  whole  British  army  under  the  com- 
mand of  Lord  Cornwallis,  with  the  effusion  of  so  little  blood." 
Cornwallis  surrendered  October  19,  1781,  at  Yorktown,  Vir- 
ginia. This  resolution  was  adopted  in  Philadelphia  four  days 
later.  Happy  people  who  are  able  to  reckon  unanimity  and 
brotherly  love  as  great  a  cause  for  praise  as  the  surrender  of 
an  enemy's  army.  Lord,  help  us  ever  to  keep  the  lesson  in 
mind  !  I  can  never  think  back  into  this  period  of  fiery  trials 
without  seeing  pictures.  They  fill  a  gallery  in  my  mind.  I 
walk  among  them  and  look  up  at  them  with  bared  head,  in 
awed  silence,  while  my  heart  is  burning.  There  they  are.  I 
can  see  them  now.  I  see  Roger  Williams,  an  outcast,  wan- 
dering in  winter  snows.  I  see  the  bared  back  of  Obadiah 
Holmes,  scarred  with  bloody  stripes.  I  see  the  disgraceful 
spohation  of  my  brethren  at  Ashfield — their  orchards,  yards, 
fields,  and  the  very  graves  of  their  dead  sacrificed  under  forced 
sale  to  supply  funds  for  a  needless  meeting-house  of  another 
denomination  and  to  pay  this  Pedobaptist  preacher's  salary, 
himself  there  bidding  in  their  property  for  a  song.  And  this 
only  six  years  before  the  battle  of  Lexington,  and  not  so  very 
far  from  that  historic  field.  I  see  the  venerable  Isaac  Backus 
at  the  meeting  of  the  first  Continental  Congress,  laboring 
vainly  with  the  Massachusetts  delegates  in  behalf  of  religious 
liberty  for  his  persecuted  people,  and  hear  the  reply  of  John 
Adams,  that  "  you  might  as  well  attempt  to  turn  the  heavenly 
luminaries  from  their  course  as  to  ask  Massachusetts  to  give 
up  the  union  of  Church  and  State."  In  this  year,  1800, 
Backus  has  yet  seven  years  to  live,  and  it  will  be  twenty- 
seven  years  more  before  this  unnatural  union  is  dissolved  in 
Massachusetts.  It  will  be  1820  before  Connecticut  has  re- 
ligious liberty. 

But  we  are  yet  in  the  picture  gallery.  This  time  the 
scenes  are  from  old  Virginia.  I  see  Lewis  Craig,  John 
Barrow,  Edward  Herndon,  James  Goolrick,  Bartholomew 
Chaning,  Edwin  Saunders,  and  John  Waller  in  jail  for  the 
crime  of  preaching  the  gospel  without  Episcopal  license.  I 
see  letters  written  to  them  while  incarcerated  and  their  replies 
from  behind  prison  bars.  I  hear  them  preaching  through 
prison  windows  to  friends  gathered  outside.  I  read  the 
Baptist  addresses  and  memorials  and  petitions  addressed  to 
the  House  of  Burgesses,  to  the  President  of  the  United  States. 


30  SURVEY    OF    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    FORCES 

They  bear  familiar  signatures  :  Samuel  Harris,  Reuben  Ford, 
John  Waller.  I  see  the  historic  forms  of  Washington,  Jeffer- 
son, Madison,  and  Patrick  Henry,  giving  better  counsel  and 
help  than  John  Adams  gave  to  Father  Backus.  Brethren, 
in  the  war  of  the  Commonwealth  in  England  and  in  our 
Revolutionary  War  the  Baptists  were  all  patriots.  In  a  long 
list  of  published  Tories  there  is  not  a  Baptist  name.  Dearer 
to  a  Baptist  than  hfe  is  soul-liberty. 

6.  It  was  the  struggle  for  civil  and  religious  liberty  which 
brought  about  that  voluntary  Baptist  co-operation  which  to- 
day enables  our  independent  churches  to  elicit,  combine,  and 
direct  their  resources  in  behalf  of  missions,  education,  and 
fraternity.  When  they  learned  to  co-operate  voluntarily, 
without  an  autocratic  pope,  without  a  hierarchy,  without  a 
cast-iron  organization,  they  settled  the  question  of  the  ages. 
They  took  the  divine  precept,  "Love  the  brotherhood," 
and  made  it  the  centripetal  force  that  would  equalize  the 
centrifugal  force  of  church  independence. 

7.  It  is  one  of  the  remarkable  lessons  taught  by  history 
that  God's  people  seem  to  stumble  back,  now  and  then, 
upon  great  New  Testament  principles  and  find  themselves 
slow  to  adopt  them  and  strangely  surprised  at  their  efficacy 
when  adopted.  The  Baptists  of  one  hundred  years  ago 
found  one  of  the  greatest  secrets  of  their  power  the  sending 
out  of  men  in  every  essential  respect  what  we  now  call 
general  missionaries.  How  shall  we  get  nearer  to  the  masses 
and  how  bring  more  of  our  churches  into  co-operation  with 
denominational  work  ?  The  question  is  not  a  constitutional 
one,  but  finds  its  solution  in  recurrence  to  New  Testament 
example.  The  commission  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  enjoins 
not  only  evangelization  but  the  teaching  of  the  evangelized 
to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  our  Lord  has  commanded. 
The  most  important  of  these  is  the  confirming  of  the  churches 
in  the  faith  and  practice  of  the  gospel  and  all  involved  in  the 
sententious  phrase,  "convert  culture."  Liberty  of  the  indi- 
vidual and  the  independent  local  church  in  New  Testament 
times  were  not  employed  as  arguments  for  the  obstruction  of 
this  important  denominational  work.  There  was  in  the 
times  of  Paul,  and  there  was  one  hundred  years  ago  as  there 
is  now,  a  large  number  of  churches  so  few  in  number  or 
financially  weak  or  uninstructed  to  that  degree  that  develop- 
ment, as  a  matter  of  fact,  did  not  result  from  any  means 
employed  by  them.  The  question  then  and  now  was  and  is, 
how  shall  these  churches  be  developed  without  interfering 
with  the  independency  of  the  local  church  and  the  sanctity  of 


AT    THE    BEGINNING    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY    3  I 

the  pastoral  relation  ?  He  is  a  blind  student  of  history  who 
fails  to  read  in  the  records  of  one  hundred  years  ago  the  fact 
that  Samuel  Harris,  John  Gano,  and  many  other  missionaries, 
either  when  sent  out  by  the  Philadelphia  Association  or  going 
out  at  their  own  instance,  were  what  we  would  now  call 
general  missionaries,  and  that  the  greatest  work  achieved  by 
them  was  the  development  of  the  feeble  churches. 

8.  And  now  let  us  for  a  moment  inquire  somewhat  into  the 
doctrines,  discipline,  and  comity  of  our  churches  one  hundred 
years  ago.  In  all  essential  particulars  they  were  the  same  as 
now.  There  were  differences  on  minor  points,  but  great 
agreement  on  vital  points.  Their  more  important  doctrines 
were  :  The  plenary  inspiration,  sufficiency,  and  supremacy 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures ;  the  divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  his  vicarious  expiation  ;  the  necessity  of  regenera- 
tion and  sanctification  by  the  Holy  Spirit  arising  from  man's 
fall  and  total  depravity  ;  salvation  by  grace,  with  all  its  kin- 
dred doctrines  ;  repentance  and  faith  the  terms  of  disciple- 
ship  ;  salvation  essential  to  baptism  and  not  baptism  essential 
to  salvation;  baptism  and  church-membership  essential  to 
communion  ;  a  spiritual  church  ;  a  distinct  local  church  ;  an 
independent  church  ;  inter-dependence  of  local  churches  for 
counsel  and  co-operation  ;  the  mission  of  the  churches  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature  ;  co-operation  of  the 
churches  for  protection  against  tyranny,  for  missions,  and 
for  education  ;  severance  between  Church  and  State,  and 
soul-liberty. 

But  who  were  the  leading  men  of  1800  ? 

Truly  "  there  were  giants  in  those  days."  Look  at  them  ! 
In  Europe  were  Carey,  Fuller,  Robert  Hall,  Christmas  Evans, 
and  Carson.  In  the  North  stands  the  venerable  Backus  at 
the  head  of  the  list.  With  him  are  Manning,  Stillman, 
Staugliton,  Gano,  and  a  host  of  others.  In  the  South  are 
John  Leland,  Andrew  Broaddus,  Robert  Semple,  Richard 
Furman,  Jesse  Mercer,  Henry  Holcombe,  and  many  others. 
And  what  men  they  were  in  character  and  power  !  Who  over- 
tops them  now?  And  shall  we  not  be  called  on  to  put  forth 
all  our  strength  to  maintain  the  standards  they  established, 
and  transmit  unimpaired  the  priceless  legacies  they  be- 
queathed ? 

It  is  also  worth  a  moment's  time  to  glance  at  some  of  the 
coming  men.  I  speak  of  the  boys  of  1800.  Ivimey  is  twenty- 
seven,  Benedict  twenty-one.  Peck  is  eleven,  and  Cramp  four. 
They  will  some  day  become  historians  of  Baptist  affairs.  In 
North    Carolina  are   two   boys  destined  to  greatness — Wil- 


32  SURVEY    OF    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    FORCES 

liam  T.  Brantly,  Sr. ,  thirteen  years  old,  and  Basil  Manly,  Sr. , 
two  years  old.  In  South  Carolina  is  a  boy  of  eight,  W.  B. 
Johnson,  who  alone  will  wear  the  distinctive  honor  of  pre- 
siding over  both  the  Triennial  and  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention. Adiel  Sherwood  is  nine  years  old.  In  1827  he 
will  preach  a  sermon  that  will  cause  four  thousand  penitents 
at  one  time  to  fall  down  before  the  throne  of  grace  supplicat- 
ing for  mercy.  Adoniram  Judson  is  twelve  years  old.  How 
mightily  he  will  wrestle  with  conquering  grace  before  he  sur- 
renders his  inordinate  cravings  for  earthly  honors  to  become 
wholly  the  servant  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — to  be  anything, 
to  go  anywhere,  and  everywhere,  to  be  consecrated  in  body, 
soul,  and  spirit  to  his  Master's  service.  And  here  is  another 
boy,  thirteen  years  old,  one  Alexander  Campbell,  who  will 
likely  give  you  Baptists  some  trouble  at  a  later  day.  Surely, 
if  the  Old  Red  Stone  Association  does  not  inquire  into  his 
case  more  carefully  than  I  think  it  will,  it  will  become  neces- 
sary that  some  competent  Virginian  shall  examine  and  re- 
examine him  after  a  while.  Among  other  boys  who  will  be- 
come famous  or  infamous,  I  select  only  two  other  names.  In 
Rockbridge  County,  Virginia,  is  a  boy  of  seven  who  will  follow 
the  flag  of  Andrew  Jackson  to  Indian  Wars,  who  will  be  gover- 
nor of  Tennessee,  then  suddenly  leaving  civihzation,  will  nat- 
uralize as  an  Indian,  then  go  to  Texas,  and  in  spite  of  the 
downfall  of  the  Alamo  and  the  massacre  at  Gohad,  will  snatch 
an  empire  at  the  battle  of  San  Jacinto  from  the  hands  of  Santa 
Anna,  the  Napoleon  of  the  West,  who  will  become  president 
of  the  new  republic  and  hand  back  by  annexation  to  the 
United  States  that  vast  territory  now  covered  by  Texas,  the 
most  of  New  Mexico,  parts  of  the  Indian  Territory,  Kansas, 
Colorado,  and  Wyoming.  That  boy's  name  is  Sam  Houston, 
and  on  only  a  part  of  that  territory  now  are  one  hundred  and 
seventy-one  missionaries  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention 
and  in  it  more  Baptists  than  there  were  in  the  world  when 
Houston  was  a  boy  of  seven.  In  Kentucky  was  another  boy 
eight  years  old,  who  will  go  to  Texas,  become  a  jurist  and 
preacher,  and  in  the  very  year  of  this  Convention's  organiza- 
tion, lay  the  foundation  of  that  institution  which  bears  his 
name  to-day.  His  name  is  R.  E.  B.  Baylor,  and  Baylor 
University  and  this  Convention  were  born  in  1845.  I  end 
my  task  with  this  unanswerable  question  on  my  hps  :  Who 
of  the  boys  now  living  will  make  the  twentieth  century 
memorable  ? 

B.  H.  Carroll. 


Ill 

ENGLISH  AND  SCOTCH  BAPTISTS  DURING  THE 
NINETEENTH  CENTURY 


I.    THE    FIRST    DECADE    OF    THE    CENTURY 

I.  Revival  of  Religious  Earnestness.  The  close  of  the 
eighteenth  century  was  in  many  respects  a  critical  period  in 
the  history  of  the  Enghsh  Baptists.  For  many  years  the 
churches  of  the  body  had  in  general  shown  a  marked  declen- 
sion from  their  early  zeal.  The  rigid  Calvinism  of  the  "  Par- 
ticular ' '  section  of  the  denomination,  redeemed  as  it  was  by 
the  exalted  piety  of  some  among  its  principal  teachers,  had, 
in  the  rank  and  file  of  the  body,  too  often  degenerated  into 
Antinomianism.  Dr.  Ohnthus  Gregory,  the  biographer  of 
Robert  Hall,  affirms  that  "toward  the  close  of  the  century, 
few  Baptist  ministers  ever  thought  of  addressing  sinners  from 
the  pulpit,  confining  their  addresses  to  the  elect." 

The  "General,"  or  Arminian  Baptists,  originally  evangeli- 
cal, as  their  early  Confessions  prove,  had  degenerated  in 
another  direction.  Robert  Robinson,  of  Cambridge,  thus 
described  them  :  "  Having  no  masters,  and  having  no  notion 
of  a  power  lodged  anywhere,  they  parted  into  innumerable 
societies  of  different  faith  and  practice.  Some  are  Socinians, 
others  Arians  ;  some  Trinitarians,  others  Arminians  ;  others 
Calvinists  ;  others  place  religion  more  in  virtue  than  in  faith." 
In  fact,  a  reconstruction  of  the  body,  on  the  part  of  those 
who  adhered  to  evangelical  belief,  had  become  inevitable 
before  Robinson's  criticism.  Hence  the  "  New  Connection 
of  General  Baptists,"  formed  in  1770. 

From  such  data  as  can  be  obtained,  it  may  be  estimated 
that  in  the  year  1801,  the  Particular  Baptists  in  England  and 
Wales  had  417  churches,  with  about  29,000  members.  The 
number  of  the  General  Baptist  Churches  (New  Connection), 
which  had  one  central  Association  of  their  own,  was  some- 
what under  one  hundred. 

The  quickening  of  religious  interest  which  marked  the  be- 
ginning of  the  new  century  was  due  in  part  to  the  great 

c  33 


34  ENGLISH    AND    SCOTCH    BAPTISTS 

Methodist  movement  of  the  preceding  years  ;  but  it  may  be 
yet  more  immediately  traced  to  two  sources.  The  one  was 
the  publication  by  Andrew  Fuller,  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
church  at  Kettering,  in  Northamptonshire,  of  his  treatise,  at 
first  but  an  expanded  sermon,  entitled  :  "The  Gospel  Worthy 
of  all  Acceptation  ;  or,  the  Duty  of  Sinners  to  Believe  in  Jesus 
Christ."  Fifteen  years  had  passed  since  this  work  was  issued, 
but  the  nineteenth  century  dawned  in  the  midst  of  the  con- 
troversy which  it  had  aroused. 

The  other  factor  in  this  revival  was  the  growth  of  the  mis- 
sionary enterprise.  ' '  The  Particular  Baptist  Society  for 
Propagating  the  Gospel  among  the  Heathen,"  formed  at 
Kettering,  October  2,  1792,  had  become  a  recognized  agency 
of  the  denomination;  and  the  influence  of  Carey's  thought 
had  extended  to  all  sections  of  the  church. 

It  was  in  the  year  1800  that  Carey,  Marshman,  and  Ward, 
after  many  anxieties  and  apparently  unsuccessful  endeavors, 
effected  a  settlement  at  Serampore,  a  place  which  henceforth 
became  identified  with  their  noble  and  disinterested  labors. 

2.  Baptist  Literature.  Apart  from  the  publications  called 
forth  by  the  mission,  in  the  form  of  reports  (at  first  called 
Periodical  Accounts),  expositions  of  the  work,  mainly  from 
the  pulpit,  and  defenses  against  many  adversaries,  the  hterary 
activity  of  the  Baptists  at  this  early  period  of  the  century  was 
considerable. 

Fuller's  "Gospel  its  Own  Witness,"  pubhshed  in  1799, 
and  his  "  Calvinistic  and  Socinian  Systems  Compared," 
formed  a  worthy  sequel  to  his  earher  work,  and  may  still  be 
studied  as  an  antidote  to  Deistic  and  Unitarian  teachings. 
The  "Reign  of  Grace,"  by  Abraham  Booth,  Fuller's  chief 
High  Calvinistic  antagonist,  as  well  as  the  same  sturdy 
writer's  "Apology  for  the  Baptists,"  were  to  be  found  in 
almost  every  cultured  household  of  the  denomination. 

But  the  greatest  literary  figure  among  the  Baptists  in  the 
first  decade  of  the  century,  was  undoubtedly  John  Foster, 
whose  "  Essays"  were  published  in  1805,  and  almost  imme- 
diately became  famous.  On  the  ethical  and  on  the  religious 
side  he  was  equally  great ;  while  with  profound  introspection 
and  keen  analysis  of  character,  he  united  a  fearless  yet  devout 
habit  of  regarding  the  Christian  creed  and  practice  which 
called  the  reader  from  the  more  beaten  highways  of  truth  to 
a  wider  outlook  and  to  unfamiliar,  but  fruitful  fields  of 
thought. 

3.  Baptists  and  Public  Questions.  The  Baptists  have  ever 
been  among  the  foremost  in  the  assertion  of  the  principles 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  35 

of  religious  freedom.  Tlicir  position,  with  that  of  other 
nonconforming  bodies,  was  recognized  and  respected  by  the 
governments  of  the  day.  Forming  part  of  the  general  body 
of  the  "Three  Denominations"  (Presbyterians,  Independ- 
ents, and  Baptists),  constituted  in  the  year  1727,  they  had 
access  to  the  throne  on  special  occasions,  and  w^ere  accus- 
tomed to  register  their  opinions  on  public  questions,  while 
in  various  ways  safe-guarding  the  privileges  of  the  congrega- 
tions which  they  represented. 

And  yet,  while  thus  recognized  in  connection  with  public 
affairs,  the  Baptists,  like  other  Dissenters,  were  subject  to 
those  disabilities  which  now  excite  the  wonder  and  contempt 
of  all  thinking  people.  For  the  most  part,  especially  during 
the  period  of  war,  these  were  suffered  silently  ;  or  else,  in 
thankfulness  for  toleration,  the  claim  to  freedom  was  forborne. 
Nor  was  such  abstention  wholly  ignoble.  The  assertion  of 
the  "Rights  of  Man"  had  led  to  such  excesses  in  France, 
that  many  sober-minded  persons  shrank,  to  their  own  loss, 
from  the  very  phrase.  Besides  which,  there  was  the  appre- 
hension on  the  part  of  devout  and  earnest  souls  that  the 
liberty  claimed  for  themselves  would  be  considered  as  equally 
the  right  of  Romanists  on  the  one  hand  and  of  Socinians  on 
the  other  ;  and  few  were  sufficiently  large-minded  to  accept 
such  a  conclusion. 

4.  Progress  of  Foreign  Missions.  The  work  of  the  Seram- 
pore  trio  was  carried  on  in  its  various  departments  with  vigor 
and  signal  disinterestedness, — Carey  being  the  linguist  and 
translator.  Ward  the  printer,  Marshman  the  head  of  educa- 
tional work.  Soon  Carey  was  appointed  by  the  Governor 
General,  Lord  Wellesley,  to  the  professorship  of  Bengali, 
afterward  of  Sanskrit,  in  the  College  of  Fort  William,  in  Cal- 
cutta. From  the  press,  the  boarding-school,  and  Carey's 
professorships,  large  emoluments  accrued,  not  only  enabling 
the  missionaries  to  dispense  with  all  support  from  the  churches 
at  home,  but  furnishing  considerable  resources  to  the  mis- 
sion ;  those  who  earned  the  money  meanwhile  living  their 
own  simple  lives  together  at  Serampore. 

In  the  year  1800,  the  first  fruits  of  missionary  labor  among 
the  natives  had  gladdened  the  missionary  band.  Krishna 
Pal,  a  carpenter,  was  baptized,  together  with  Carey's  eldest 
son,  in  the  river  Hugli,  "  in  the  presence  of  the  Danish  gov- 
ernor and  a  dense  crowd  of  natives. "  Early  in  1801,  again, 
the  first  copy  of  the  printed  Bengali  New  Testament  was 
placed  on  the  communion  table  in  the  chapel,  and  a  meet- 
ing was  held  of  the  whole  mission  family  and  of  the  con- 


36  ENGLISH    AND    SCOTCH    BAPTISTS 

verts  recently  baptized  to  offer  a  tribute  of  gratitude  to  God. 
In  July,  1803,  Carey's  sons,  and  Mr.  Fernandez,  Carey's  first 
convert  and  a  generous  friend  of  the  mission,  started  the 
first  Sunday-school  in  India  ;  and  three  months  before  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  was  founded  in  London 
(1804)  our  missionaries  had  proposed  to  print  the  New 
Testament  in  seven  languages  of  India,  using  their  own  press, 
and  employing  the  pundits  in  the  College  of  Fort  William  as 
assistants  in  the  work.  Missionary  operations  were  soon  ex- 
tended, from  Serampore  as  a  center,  to  other  districts  of 
Bengal,  Dinajepore,  Jessore,  and  Cutwa  being  first  occu- 
pied, a  place  of  worship  for  Europeans  and  natives  being 
opened  in  Calcutta  in  1809.  In  18 10  the  work  had  been 
begun  in  Northern  India,  Patna  and  Agra  being  the  first 
stations  and  an  attempt  had  been  made  upon  Burma,  in 
Rangoon.  Not  until  later  years  was  the  work  of  the  mission 
carried  on  in  other  provinces  and  lands,  as  will  be  shown  in 
a  succeeding  section. 

By  the  end  of  the  first  decade  of  the  century  twenty  mis- 
sionaries had  been  sent  out  to  Bengal,  of  whom  five  had 
died,  including  John  Thomas,  the  first  medical  missionary, 
and  almost  equally  with  Carey  a  pioneer  in  the  work.  The 
number  of  members  in  church-fellowship  had  reached  200, 
and  a  large  congregation  had  been  gathered  in  Calcutta. 
At  home  the  work  had  been  well  sustained.  That  memorable 
first  collection  at  Kettering  of  ;^i3  2s.  6d.  had  grown  to 
thousands.  In  1801  the  income  of  the  mission  had  reached 
/;i,i76;  in  1805,  ;^3,273;  in  1810,  £iA^^  )  and  in  1811 
it  had  grown  to  £SA?)9- 

5.  Education  for  the  Alinistry.  The  provision  and  train- 
ing of  ministers  had  long  been  a  matter  of  interest  with  the 
more  thoughtful  members  of  the  denomination.  That  the 
national  universities  were  closed  against  all  but  members  of 
the  Established  Church  had  always  been  not  only  a  grievance 
but  a  serious  impediment  in  the  way  of  Nonconformist  educa- 
tion. If,  with  a  measure  of  truth,  the  Dissenters  were  charged 
with  having  an  uneducated  ministry,  the  reproach  came  ill 
from  those  who  maintained  the  disability.  Some  provision 
was  made  for  Baptist  students  at  the  Scottish  universities  by 
Dr.  Ward's  Trust  (dating  from  1754),  by  which,  among 
others,  Robert  Hall  had  benefited  at  Aberdeen.  Compe- 
tent ministers  in  different  parts  of  the  kingdom  received 
ministerial  candidates  into  their  houses  for  instruction  and 
practical  training,  but  a  more  definite  collegiate  course  was 
felt   to   be   desirable,  and   under    '-Terrill's  Trust,"   dating 


DURING    THE    NINETEP:NTH    CENTURY  37 

from  1679,  the  Bristol  Academy  for  many  years  had  received 
students,  under  the  presidency  of  the  pastor  of  Eroadmead 
Chapel,  in  that  city.  In  1770  the  academy  was  merged  in 
the  "Bristol  Education  Society,"  and  in  1783  the  well- 
known  Dr.  John  Ryland  entered  upon  the  office  of  pastor- 
president,  which  he  occupied  with  great  distinction  for  thirty 
years.  Ryland,  with  Fuller  and  Hall,  and  their  colleague, 
John  Sutcliff,  had  a  prominent  part  in  the  formation  and 
home  management  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

A  General  Baptist  College  had  been  instituted  in  1797  in 
London,  and,  not  being  restricted  to  one  locality,  it  had  been 
conducted  by  a  succession  of  pastors  in  different  places — 
Wisbech,  Loughborough,  Chilwell,  Nottingham — until,  as  will 
be  hereafter  seen,  the  separate  existence  of  the  denomination 
ceased  in  1891. 

In  the  year  1804  the  Northern  Baptist  Education  So- 
ciety was  formed  at  Bradford,  Yorkshire,  under  the  presi- 
dency of  Rev.  W.  Steadman,  afterward  D.  d.  In  18 10  the 
Baptist  College  at  Stepney  was  founded,  with  the  aid  of  the 
old-established  "Baptist  Fund,"  Robert  Hall  writing  the 
preliminary  statement  and  appeal  and  Dr.  W.  Newman  being 
the  first  president. 

The  second  decade  of  the  century  was  thus  entered  upon 
amid  enlarging  plans  and  brighter  hopes.  In  181 2  a  "Baptist 
Mission  and  Union  ' '  meeting  was  called  in  London,  chiefly 
at  the  instance  of  Rev,  Joseph  Ivimey,  an  energetic  pastor, 
historian  of  the  English  Baptists.  Such  was  the  beginning 
of  the  Baptist  Union,  one  of  the  objects  of  which,  it  is 
interesting  to  note,  was  "to  direct  the  public  meetings  of 
the  various  societies"  connected  with  the  denomination. 
The  intention,  however,  was  very  imperfectly  carried  out, 
and  many  years  were  to  elapse  before  the  Union  became  a 
real  power  in  the  body. 

II.    FROM   1811  TO  1820. 

I.  The  Foreign  Mission.  The  Foreign  Mission  during 
the  next  ten  years  had  been  actively  enlarging  its  borders. 
A  calamity  which  at  first  threatened  to  prove  a  serious  im- 
pediment to  its  labors  had  been  wonderfully  revealed  for 
good.  In  1 81 2  the  Serampore  printing  house  was  entirely 
consumed  by  fire,  but  the  sympathy  awakened,  not  among 
Baptists  only,  was  so  deep  that  to  repair  the  loss  the  sum  of 
^10,000  was  raised  in  fifty  days,  an  outburst  of  liberality 
hitherto  unprecedented  in  the  history  of  missions. 


38  ENGLISH    AND    SCOTCH    BAPTISTS 

In  this  year,  1812,  the  mission  to  Ceylon  was  begun  by 
Mr.  Chater,  who  had  been  commissioned  to  Serampore,  but 
had  not  been  allowed  to  land  there.  Settling  at  Colombo, 
after  a  brief  visit  to  Burma,  he  accomplished  much  pioneer 
work,  still  gratefully  remembered.  In  Northern  India,  new 
missions  had  been  commenced,  in  Allahabad  (1814),  Dacca 
and  Monghyr  (1816),  Benares  and  Delhi  (18 18).  To  re- 
inforce the  band  of  Bible  translators,  Dr.  William  Yates 
joined  the  mission  in  1814,  and  proved  himself  a  worthy 
colleague  to  Dr.  Carey,  his  Bengali  New  Testament  being 
characterized  as  "one  of  the  most  perfect  translations  in  any 
language." 

The  mission  to  the  West  Indies,  destined  to  become  so 
memorable  in  the  history  of  the  society,  was  begun  in  18 14, 
two  colored  men,  George  Lisle  and  Moses  Baker,  havilig 
attempted  evangeUstic  work  at  Kingston,  Jamaica,  for  assist- 
ance in  which  they  appealed  to  the  society  at  home  "  to  send 
out  a  white  man  and  his  wife."  The  appeal  met  with  a 
ready  response,  and  the  Rev.  John  Rowe  was  sent,  being 
followed  in  181 7  by  the  Rev.  James  Coultart.  In  1818  the 
college  at  Calabar,  Kingston,  was  established,  mainly  for  the 
training  of  pastors,  but  comprising  also  a  normal  school  de- 
partment, with  high  and  elementary  schools  for  boys  and 
girls.  The  institution  has  been  an  incalculable  benefit  both 
to  the  church  of  Jamaica  and  to  the  general  community. 

Perhaps  the  most  noteworthy  circumstance  in  the  rnission- 
ary  history  of  these  ten  years  was  the  grand  debate  in  the 
British  House  of  Commons,  on  the  subject  of  Indian  mis- 
sions, on  the  proposed  revival,  in  1813,  of  the  East  India 
Company's  charter.  The  enemies  of  missions  had  the  op- 
portunity for  which  they  had  long  waited  ;  the  customary 
arguments  were  advanced  against  the  enterprise,  with  the  cus- 
tomary sneers  and  cavils.  The  illustrious  William  Wilber- 
force  was  on  this  occasion,  as  in  so  many  others,  the  spokes- 
man of  humanity  and  religion. 

In  the  year  1816  the  General  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety was  formed  at  Boston,  Lincolnshire,  chiefly  through 
the  zealous  efforts  of  the  Rev.  J.  G.  Pike,  an  honored  name 
in  the  denomination. 

2.  Baptist  Literatu!-e.  Among  the  noticeable  incidents 
in  the  literary  history  of  the  Baptists  during  this  period  must 
be  placed  the  estabhshment  of  the  "Baptist  Magazine," 
which  has  continued  to  the  present  day  as  the  monthly  organ 
of  the  denomination.  It  was  started  principally  because  the 
"  Evangehcal  Magazine,"  which  had  hitherto  represented  the 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  39 

Nonconformist  churches,  had  taken  a  decidedly  Pedobaptist 
tone,  and  it  was  thought  needful  for  Baptists  to  assert  them- 
selves. 

But  unquestionably,  so  far  as  regarded  the  Baptist  com- 
munity, the  literary  work  of  the  time,  most  important  in 
itself,  most  lasting  in  its  influence,  was  the  discussion  on  the 
terms  of  communion,  initiated  by  Robert  Hall.  The  late 
Abraham  Booth  had  entitled  his  plea  for  strict  communion 
"An  Apology  for  the  Baptists,"  as  presuming  that  the  body 
was  of  one  mind  on  the  subject.  But  since  the  days  of 
Henry  Jessey  and  of  John  Bunyan,  many  had  adopted  a 
diff'erent  view  ;  and  at  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
among  the  leaders  of  the  body,  Fuller  was  an  adherent  of  the 
"Strict,"  Ryland  of  the  "Open"  view.  Hall  earnestly 
maintained  the  latter,  and  in  181 5  published  his  treatise  "  On 
Terms  of  Communion,  with  a  Particular  View  to  the  Case  of 
the  Baptists  and  Pedobaptists."  This  treatise,  in  lucidity 
and  brilhancy  of  style  must  rank  with  his  most  famous  works. 
Among  all  the  publications  in  answer  to  Hall's  essay,  that  by 
the  Rev.  Joseph  Kinghorn,  of  Norwich,  "Baptism  a  Term 
of  Communion,"  by  common  consent  was  the  ablest  as  well 
as  the  most  elaborate. 

Other  writers  and  their  works  may  be  briefly  mentioned. 
Two  histories  of  importance  appeared  during  this  period. 
One  was  the  "History  of  the  Enghsh  Baptists,  from  the 
Earliest  Times  to  the  Death  of  George  IH.,"  by  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Ivimey,  in  four  volumes  (181 1  and  subsequent  years), 
valuable  for  its  biographical  notes,  its  account  of  churches 
formed  and  places  of  worship  built,  with  other  material 
hardly  accessible  elsewhere.  The  work  has  now  been  long 
out  of  print.  Equally  useful  is  Adam  Taylor's  "  History  of 
the  General  Baptists,"  from  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth 
century  to  1818,  indispensable  to  all  who  would  trace  the 
history  of  that  denomination.  Several  volumes  of  sermons 
and  lectures  also  appeared  during  this  period,  and  some 
memoirs  of  more  than  temporary  interest,  among  which 
may  be  mentioned  the  "Life  and  Letters  of  Dr.  John  Faw- 
cett,"  by  John  Parker. 

III.     FROM    1820    TO    THE    ACCESSION    OF    QUEEN    VICTORIA. 

I.  The  Baptists  and  Public  Questions.  The  years  be- 
tween the  death  of  George  HL  (1820)  and  the  accession  of 
Queen  Victoria  (1837),  were  fraught  with  interest  to  British 
nonconformity,  the  Baptists  being  among  the  foremost  in 
asserting  the  principles  of  liberty.     The  discussions  which  led 


40  ENGLISH    AND    SCOTCH    BAPTISTS 

to  the  final  removal  of  religious  tests  as  a  condition  for  public 
employment,  lasted  over  several  years.  Attention  was  natu- 
rally awakened  by  these  to  the  yet  larger  and  deeper  ques- 
tions involved  in  the  principles  of  religious  freedom.  In 
1829  a  Society  for  Promoting  Ecclesiastical  Knowledge 
was  formed  ;  it  continued  its  useful  work  for  several  years, 
and  issued  many  valuable  publications.  The  ground  taken 
was  specifically  religious,  and  the  incompatibihty  of  religious 
establishments  with  the  genius  of  the  gospel  was  powerfully 
asserted. 

2.  The  Abolition  of  Colonial  Slavery.  The  era  of  the  Re- 
form Bill  in  Great  Britain  was  further  signalized  by  important 
measures  bearing  upon  the  general  advancement  of  freedom. 
Among  these  a  prominent  place  must  be  given  to  the  abolition 
of  colonial  slavery.  The  Baptists,  from  the  circumstances  of 
their  West  Indian  mission,  were  among  the  most  zealous 
promoters  of  this  great  act  of  national  justice.  In  1831  an 
uprising  of  the  Negroes  in  Jamaica,  prompted  no  doubt  by 
the  talk  of  liberty  which  was  "in  the  air,"  as  well  as  by  ru- 
mors of  what  Sir  Thomas  Fowell  Buxton,  the  great  advocate 
of  emancipation  in  the  British  Parhament,  was  endeavoring 
to  effect,  had  been  suppressed  with  sanguinary  violence  ;  and 
attempts  had  been  made  to  brand  the  missionaries  and  their 
adherents  with  the  guilt  of  instigating  the  insurrection.  The 
charge  was  abundantly  disproved,  but  not  before  several  of 
the  missionaries  had  greatly  suffered,  and  their  chapels  in 
many  parts  of  the  island  been  destroyed  by  pro-slavery  mobs. 
It  was  at  length  plain  that  the  axe  must  be  laid  to  the  root  of 
the  tree.  We  need  not  here  detail  events  which  led  to  the 
eventual  amendment  and  completion  of  the  Emancipation 
Act,  especially  in  the  discontinuance  of  the  "Apprentice- 
ship" experiment  (1838),  still  less  to  the  vindication  of  the 
West  Indian  missionaries,  when  their  policy  and  methods 
were  called  in  question  by  some  of  their  brethren.  In  these 
proceedings  Mr.  Knibb,  who  for  nine  years  had  been  a  mis- 
sionary, took  an  active  part ;  but,  worn  by  care  and  toil,  he 
finished  his  course  in  1845,  at  the  early  age  of  forty-two. 

In  the  year  1832  the  Baptist  Union,  which  had  existed 
for  some  twenty  years,  held  a  meeting  of  unusual  interest, 
"more  numerously  attended  than  for  some  years  past,"  in 
which  an  attempt  was  made  to  revive  the  interest  which 
had  long  been  flagging.  As  an  outcome  of  the  meeting 
a  comparative  table  was  prepared  "of  the  state  of  the  de- 
nomination in  1790  and  1832,  which  affords  the  best  attain- 
able views  of  Baptist  progress  through  the  earlier  part  of  the 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  4 1 

century."  The  number  of  churches  during  the  period  had 
grown  from  312  to  926,  and  that  of  pastors  from  266  to  768  ; 
besides  which  the  New  Connection  of  General  Baptists  re- 
ported about  120  churches  with  100  pastors. 

The  contributions  to  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  in  the 
year  1821  were  about  ^^10,000  ;  in  1837,  the  year  of  the 
queen's  accession,  ^14,717. 

IV.    FROM    THE   ACCESSION    OF    QUEEN    VICTORIA   TO    THE 
YEAR    1863. 

I.  The  Baptists  and  Religious  Liberty.  The  advocates  of 
rehgious  freedom  felt  themselves  now  called  to  renewed  ex- 
ertions, and  the  first  five  years  of  Queen  Victoria's  reign 
were  largely  occupied  by  attempts  to  awaken  the  public 
mind.  As  yet,  the  contest  turned  mainly  upon  religious 
grounds.  ''The  Crown  rights  of  the  Redeemer,"  a  phrase 
learned  from  Scotland,  was  a  watchword  in  the  strife, — purely 
political  considerations  being  as  yet  but  secondary.  Among 
those  who  took  a  foremost  part  in  the  discussion  were  Doc- 
tor Cox  and  Thomas  Price,  with  John  Howard  Hinton.  In 
1839  they  co-operated  in  the  formation  of  the  Religious 
Freedom  Society,  and  in  the  following  year  in  that  of  the 
Evangehcal  Voluntary  Church  Association.  These  Associa- 
tions, represented  in  the  press  by  the  "Patriot,"  conducted 
by  Mr.  Josiah  Conder,  contributed  their  share  to  the  forma- 
tion of  public  opinion,  until,  in  1841,  Mr.  Edward  Miall  came 
to  London  to  establish  the  "Nonconformist"  newspaper,  of 
which  the  energy  and  outspokenness  took  the  community  by 
surprise. 

Other  events  in  different  parts  of  the  ecclesiastical  world 
gave  fife  to  the  discussion.  The  "Oxford  Movement" 
showed  to  serious-minded  Protestants  whither  the  assertion 
of  church  claims  would  tend  ;  and  the  disruption  of  the 
Scottish  Establishment,  with  the  formation  of  the  Free 
Church,  brought  the  question  of  State  supremacy  before  the 
popular  mind.  It  was  resolved  to  originate  a  great  united 
effort  for  disestablishment  ;  and  at  a  conference  held  in 
London,  April,  1844,  attended  by  800  delegates,  the  Anti- 
State-Church  Association  was  formed,  the  Rev.  Charles  Sto- 
vel,  of  Prescot  Street,  London,  and  the  Rev.  James  P.  Mur- 
sell,  of  Leicester,  being  among  the  principal  Baptist  speakers. 
Still,  in  many  quarters,  there  was  hesitancy.  It  was  remarked 
that  "the  only  general  representative  body  that  sent  dele- 
gates to  this  Conference,  was  the  Baptist  Union."  From 
that  time  to  the  present,  the  Society  for  the  Liberation  of 


42  ENGLISH    AND    SCOTCH    BAPTISTS 

Religion  from  State  Patronage  and  Control,  as  it  is  now  per- 
spicuously but  cumbrously  denominated,  has  found  many  of 
its  chief  supporters  in  the  Baptist  body. 

As  a  result  of  all  these  movements,  a  warm  discussion  now 
arose  within  the  Nonconformist  community,  as  to  whether 
education  could  be  consistently  promoted  by  the  State  at  all. 
Baptists,  for  the  most  part,  took  the  negative  side,  main- 
taining that  as  education  must  before  all  things  be  religious, 
its  support  lay  altogether  beyond  the  scope  of  government. 
This  was  repeatedly  affirmed  by  resolutions  of  the  Baptist 
Union  and  of  the  denominational  assemblies  ;  and  although 
this  extreme  position  is  now  practically  abandoned,  it  can 
scarcely  be  said  that  the  denomination  is  wholly  satisfied  with 
a  compromise  enforced  by  necessity.  Some  still  hold  to  the 
possibility  of  separation  between  the  secular  and  religious,  the 
churches  being  responsible  for  the  latter. 

2.  The  Foreign  Mission.  The  years  183 7-1 838,  were 
notable  in  the  history  of  the  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  for  the 
successful  endeavor  to  heal  the  division  which  had  long  sub- 
sisted between  the  Serampore  brethren  and  the  committee  at 
home.  The  question  was  one  of  holding  property.  The 
missionaries  at  Serampore  claimed  the  possession  and  admin- 
istration of  the  resources  which  they  had  themselves  created 
— not,  however,  for  their  own  benefit,  but  for  the  missionary 
cause.  The  home  committee,  on  the  other  hand,  main- 
tained that  the  property  should  be  held  and  the  income  ad- 
ministered by  themselves.  In  some  measure,  the  existence 
and  working  of  the  college  had  created  the  difficulty.  The 
resulting  separation  lasted  from  1827  to  1838,  the  two  bodies 
laboring  independently,  and  the  missionaries  in  India  being 
divided.  Happily  in  the  latter  year,  the  division  was  healed 
and  not  a  scar  remained. 

In  the  year  1839  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society, 
which  hitherto  had  circulated  the  Indian  versions  of  the 
Serampore  and  Calcutta  Baptist  missionaries,  was  induced  to 
withdraw  its  aid  because  of  the  rendering  of  "  baptize  "  and 
"baptism"  by  "immerse"  and  "immersion."  A  long  dis- 
cussion ensued,  chiefly  conducted  on  the  part  of  the  Bap- 
tists by  Dr.  (then  Mr.)  Edward  Steane.  His  pamphlets 
and  letters  on  the  subject  were  temperate,  courteous,  and 
marked  by  great  argumentative  force  as  well  as  by  sound 
scholarship.  His  reasonings  failed  to  convince  the  Bible 
Society's  committee,  and  it  became  necessary  either  to  throw 
the  whole  weight  of  the  versions  upon  the  general  funds  of 


DURIXG    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  43 

the  mission,  or  to  form  a  new  society  for  their  production  and 
circulation.  The  latter  course  was  adopted,  and  the  Bible 
Translation  Society  was  formed  in  1840,  "to  aid  in  printing 
and  circulating  those  translations  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  from 
which  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  has  withdrawn 
its  assistance  on  the  ground  that  the  words  relating  to  the 
ordinance  of  baptism  have  been  translated  by  terms  signify- 
ing immersion  ;  and  further  to  aid  in  producing  and  circulat- 
ing other  versions  of  the  word  of  God  similarly  faithful  and 
complete. ' ' 

The  year  1842  was  signalized  by  the  jubilee  meetings  of 
the  Baptist  Missionary  Society.  The  statistics  of  the  mission 
in  the  jubilee  year  were,  for  India,  forty  stations  and  sub- 
stations, thirty-one  missionaries,  forty-two  native  evangelists, 
a  native  membership  of  850,  and  1,445  scholars  in  the  day- 
schools  ;  for  Ceylon,  four  missionaries,  forty-four  native 
preachers  and  teachers,  seventeen  stations,  about  500  mem- 
bers, and  1,137  scholars.  In  the  West  Indies  the  member- 
ship amounted  to  more  than  20,000,  and  the  missionaries 
and  churches  in  Jamaica  nobly  celebrated  the  jubilee  by  de- 
claring themselves  independent  of  the  Society's  aid.  Amid 
many  difficulties  and  heavy  trials,  especially  those  arising  from 
the  disturbances  in  Morant  Bay,  October,  1865,  so  cruelly 
suppressed,  these  churches  have  remained  self-supporting  to 
the  present  day. 

As  soon  as  slavery  was  abolished  the  emancipated  Negroes 
began  to  form  plans  for  the  evangelization  of  their  brethren 
in  Africa,  offering  generous  contributions  for  the  effort,  and 
in  the  jubilee  year  of  the  society  the  mission  was  begun  in 
the  island  of  Fernando  Po,  near  the  mouth  of  the  River 
Cameroons,  in  the  gulf  of  Guinea,  a  locality  selected  by 
Rev.  John  Clarke,  a  missionary  from  Jamaica,  and  Dr.  G. 
K.  Prince,  a  medical  practitioner.  Among  the  laborers  in 
this  mission  the  name  of  Alfred  Saker  stands  pre-eminent. 
He  was  at  once  artisan  and  linguist,  evangelist  and  adminis- 
trator. In  1848,  the  Spanish  Government  having  established 
a  claim  to  the  sovereignty  of  Fernando  Po,  the  missionaries 
were  compelled  to  leave  the  island,  their  converts  sacrificing 
all  to  accompany  their  beloved  teachers  to  the  continent. 
The  annexation  of  the  whole  district  to  the  German  Empire, 
and  the  consequent  transfer  of  the  mission  to  the  Protestant 
Basle  mission,  followed  a  few  years  afterward,  Alfred  Saker 
having  in  the  meantime  been  compelled  by  growing  infirmi- 
ties to  leave  Africa  in  1876.      He  lingered  until  1880. 


44  ENGLISH    AND    SCOTCH    BAPTISTS 

Soon  after  the  cession  of  the  Cameroons  mission  to  the 
Basle  society  a  way  was  opened  to  the  Congo  district  and 
thence  to  Central  iVfrica. 

3.  General  Proceedings  of  the  Denomination.  These  years 
were  distinguished  by  notable  efforts  for  denominational  ex- 
tension, especially  in  London.  Bloomsbury  Chapel  was 
erected  in  1849  and  Regent's  Park  Chapel  in  1855.  The 
ministry  of  Doctor  Brock  in  the  former  and  of  Doctor  Lan- 
dels  in  the  latter  proved  attractive  in  a  high  degree,  and  the 
two  chapels  became  what  they  have  since  remained,  leading 
centers  of  the  work  of  the  denomination  in  London. 

More  remarkable  and  more  signally  blessed  was  the  arrival 
in  the  metropohs,  to  take  charge  of  an  ancient  but  decaying 
church,  of  Mr.  C.  H.  Spurgeon,  a  young  man  from  Cam- 
bridgeshire, whose  extraordinary  gifts  were  soon  recognized. 
He  came  in  1856,  and  the  Metropolitan  Tabernacle,  erected 
for  his  ministry  and  for  the  manifold  work  which  sprang  from 
his  energy  and  devotion,  was  opened  in  1861.  His  "Pas- 
tors' College  "  was  established  at  the  Tabernacle  in  the  same 
year.  The  largest  church  in  the  denomination  was  speedily 
gathered,  criticism  and  opposition  were  gradually  silenced, 
and  the  fearlessly  evangelical  Calvinistic  Baptist  teaching  of 
Mr.  Spurgeon  became  one  of  the  chief  religious  forces  of  the 
age.  In  other  districts  kindred  impulses  were  felt,  and  the 
whole  body  was  encouraged  tu  more  energetic  concerted 
action.' 

The  Baptist  Evangelical  Society  was  formed  in  1845  at 
a  gathering  of  "  Strict  "  brethren,  who  regarded  it  as  their 
duty  to  carry  on  united  work  according  to  their  convictions 
of  New  Testament  order.  It  aimed  in  the  first  instance  at 
the  education  of  young  men  called  to  the  ministry,  whom  it 
placed  under  the  care  of  accredited  pastors  in  the  country, 
among  whom  Dr.  John  Stock,  an  able  theologian  of  con- 
siderable learning,  was  the  chief''  It  also  assisted  Baptist 
churches  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  and  effectually  aided  in 
the  establishment  of  the  German  Baptist  mission.  A  Strict 
Baptist  Mission,  for  the  diffusion  of  the  gospel  in  heathen 
lands,  was  constituted  in  i860.  It  is  specifically  a  church 
institution  rather  than  a  society  representing  a  body  of  sub- 
mit may  be  noted  here  that  in  the  national  census  of  1851  the  following  statistics 
were  given  of  Baptist  chapels  in  England  and  Wales  :  Particular  Baptists,  1,374  in 
England,  373  in  Wales  ;  General  Baptists  (New),  179  in  England,  3  in  Wales  ;  General 
Baptists  (Old),  90  in  England,  3  in  Wales  ;  Seventh-day  Baptists,  2  in  England,  none 
in  Wales  ;  Scotch  Baptists,  12  in  England,  3  in  Wales. 

-  Doctor  Stock,  among  other  works,  translated  the  famous  "  Commotiitorium  Against 
all  Heresies,"  by  Vincentius  of  Lerins. 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  45 

scribers,  being  based  upon  the  principle  of  individual  church 
action  and  individual  communication  with  the  mission- 
aries. Its  sphere  of  operation  has  been  India  and  Ceylon, 
where  it  has  done  useful  work.  About  fifty  churches  are 
now  associated  in  this  mission. 

The  collegiate  arrangements  of  the  Strict  Baptist  Society 
have  been  superseded  by  the  establishment  of  the  flourishing 
college  at  Manchester  in  1866.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind 
that  these  "  Strict "  institutions  in  no  way  separate  their 
members  from  the  general  work  of  the  denomination  in  mis- 
sionary and  other  societies  which  are  neutral  on  the  subject. 

4.  Literature.  The  name  of  John  Howard  Hinton,  m.  a., 
has  already  been  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  advocacy 
of  civil  and  religious  freedom.  His  hterary  activity,  however, 
extended  over  a  far  wider  area,  and  for  the  whole  of  the 
early  Victorian  era  he  held  a  foremost  place  among  Baptist 
theologians,  maintaining  from  the  first,  the  tenets  known  as 
moderate  Calvinism,  but  with  distinctions  and  subtleties  all 
his  own. 

Among  other  Baptist  authors  should  be  mentioned  Dr. 
Thomas  Price,  whose  valuable  "History  of  Protestant  Non- 
conformity" contained  the  substance  of  lectures  deUvered 
in  1834  ;  also  the  Rev.  Christopher  Anderson,  of  Edinburgh, 
whose  "Annals  of  the  Enghsh  Bible"  (1845),  embodying  a 
mass  of  most  precious  material,  opened  a  mine  that  has  since 
that  day  been  diligently  worked.  The  Rev.  William  Jones, 
M.  A.,  had  edited  the  voluminous  works  of  Alexander 
Maclean,  the  distinguished  leader  of  the  Scotch  Baptists  and 
an  opponent  of  Andrew  Fuller.  The  question  of  Christian 
baptism  still  engaged  the  pens  of  many  writers,  Doctor  Cox, 
Mr.  Hinton,  and  others,  contributing  to  the  discussion.  The 
most  important  work  on  the  subject  was,  however,  the  elabo- 
rate treatise  of  Dr.  Alexander  Carson  (1844).  Doctor  Halley 
in  his  "Lectures  on  the  Sacraments,"  dehvered  before  the 
Congregational  Union,  advocated  infant  baptism  on  some- 
what novel  grounds,  and  was  answered  with  great  power, 
although  with  reasonings  abstruse  and  difficult  to  follow,  by 
Charles  Stovel,  in  his  "  Lectures  on  Christian  Discipleship, " 
(1846).  Nor  should  the  httle  books  of  the  devout  and  gifted 
Baptist  Noel  be  omitted  from  our  enumeration. 

The  Baptist  library  was  meantime  enriched  by  an  impor- 
tant series  of  works  (1847-1854),  undertaken  by  The  Han- 
serd  Knollys  Society,  which  gave,  under  the  general  editor- 
ship of  Dr.  E.  B.  Underbill,  historical  records  of  the  highest 
interest,  relating  especially  to  the  seventeenth  century.   Con- 


46  ENGLISH    AND    SCOTCH    BAPTISTS 

fessions  of  Faith,  annals  of  persecution  and  martyrdom,  and 
illustrations  of  church  hfe,  comprised  the  series,  extending 
to  ten  volumes,  among  which,  perhaps,  the  gem  was  a  tran- 
script of  Bunyan's  "  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  the  first  and  second 
parts,  from  the  original  editions  of  1678-1684. 

In  the  companies  of  the  Westminster  revisers,  the  Baptists 
were  worthily  represented  by  Drs.  B.  Davies  and  F.  W. 
Gotch  on  the  Old  Testament,  and  by  Doctor  Angus  on  the 
New.  Their  long-continued  devotion  to  the  great  task,  and 
the  solid  learning  which  they  brought  to  its  accomplishment, 
were  of  material  service  to  the  work. 

V.  FROM  THE  YEAR  1863  TO  THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  CENTURY, 

I.  Proceedings  of  the  Baptist  Union.  The  Assemblies  of 
the  Baptist  Union,  especially  those  in  the  country  towns  and 
cities,  increased  from  year  to  year  in  numbers  and  interest. 
The  elaborate  addresses  on  great  questions  of  the  day  pre- 
sented by  the  presidents,  and  resolutions  of  the  Union  on 
innumerable  topics,  such  as  education,  temperance,  war,  and 
the  different  questions  bearing  upon  religious  thought  and 
freedom,  have  been  valuable  as  expressions  of  opinion, 
although  binding  upon  none. 

Several  societies  and  funds  have  become  closely  connected 
with  the  Union,  the  list  of  which  would  be  too  long  for 
enumeration  here.  Chief  among  these  are  the  Home  and 
Irish  Missions  of  the  body,  with  a  church  extension  scheme 
for  large  towns  and  societies  for  the  augmentation  of  minis- 
terial incomes  and  the  support  of  aged  ministers  and  widows. 

The  years  1 88 7-1 889  were  marked  by  an  unfortunate 
controversy  which  caused  much  misunderstanding  and  em- 
bittered the  minds  of  many  good  men.  Mr.  Spurgeon, 
impressed  with  the  conviction  that  many  ministers  of  the  de- 
nomination were  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  unfaithful  to  the 
truths  of  the  gospel,  felt  bound  in  all  faithfulness  to  issue  his 
note  of  warning.  These  brethren,  he  held,  were  upon  the 
"down  grade."  It  was  natural  that  those  who  were  sup- 
posed to  be  incriminated  should  defend  themselves  ;  and  the 
denomination  at  large  was  concerned  to  maintain  the  evan- 
gelical character  of  its  ministry.  Mr.  Spurgeon,  and  many 
of  his  followers,  withdrew  from  the  Baptist  Union  and  from 
the  London  Association,  forming  a  fellowship  of  their  own. 
Dr.  James  A.  Spurgeon,  the  great  preacher's  brother,  on  the 
other  hand,  retained  his  membership  in  both,  endeavoring 
to  compose  the  strife,  and  was,  in  fact,  elected  to  the  presi- 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  47 

dency  of  the  Union  for  the  year  1899,  akhough  his  sudden 
and  lamented  decease  prevented  his  occupancy  of  the  chair. 
The  Union  has  well  withstood  the  shock  of  the  controversy  • 
and,  while  resisting  the  demand  to  formulate  a  creed  abides 
by  its  declaration,  issued  1889. 

Mr.  Spurgeon  passed  away  on  January  31,  1892,  in  the 
fifty-eighth  year  of  his  age.  The  scene  at  his  funeral  was 
one  of  the  most  impressive  that  the  south  of  London  had 
ever  witnessed.  On  his  tomb  in  Norwood  Cemetery,  visited 
by  many  an  American  pilgrim,  are  inscribed  the  words,  "I 
have  fought  a  good  fight ;  I  have  finished  my  course  •  I  have 
kept  the  faith." 

2.  Foreign  Missions.  In  the  year  1875-1878  new  mis- 
sions were  opened  in  Italy  by  the  "Particular"  and  "Gen- 
eral" sections  of  the  body  severally.  Their  success  has 
proved  that  the  Baptists  have  strong  and  special  grounds  of 
appeal  to  Romanists,  and  churches  have  been  gathered  in 
Rome,  Naples,  Florence,  Genoa,  and  Turin. 

A  mission  to  China  was  commenced,  or  rather  re-com- 
menced after  many  attempts,  in  1876,  and  is  now  carried  on 
mainly  in  three  provinces,  Shan-si,  Shen-si,  and  Shan-tung. 
One  of  the  most  capable  and  devoted  of  Chinese  missionaries, 
the  Rev.  Timothy  Richard,  has  now  been  transferred  to  the 
China  Evangelical  Pubhcation  Society,  in  which  he  is  doing 
w^ork  of  inestimable  value.  In  1879  a  mission  to  Japan  was 
initiated  ;  but  in  1890  it  was  transferred  to  the  American 
Baptist  Missionary  Union.  The  mission  in  Shan- si  has  suf- 
fered terribly  in  the  recent  disturbances  (1900),  many  de- 
voted laborers  having  lost  their  lives  ;  but  the  survivors,  amid 
their  sorrow,  are  full  of  courage  and  hopefulness,  and  reso- 
lute in  the  continuance  of  their  work. 

An  important  auxiliary  to  mission  work,  especially  in  India, 
has  been  The  Ladies'  Association  for  the  Support  of  Ze- 
nana Work  in  India  and  China,  formed  in  1867.  It  has 
now  a  staff  of  sixty-nine  lady  visitors  and  200  native  agents, 
with  3,300  pupils  in  boarding,  normal,  and  day  schools,  and 
2,000  women  and  girls  in  zenanas  under  regular  instruction. 
The  annual  income  and  expenditure  amount  to  about  ^10,- 
000.  Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  Cameroons 
mission  in  Western  Africa.  Before  the  annexation  of  the  ter- 
ritory to  Germany,  a  beginning  had  already  been  made  in 
the  vast  Congo  territory,  the  society  having  been  stimulated 
to  the  work  by  the  offer  from  Mr.  Robert  Arthington,  of 
Leeds,  of  ^i,ooo  to  begin  the  enterprise.     Suitable  pioneers 


48 


ENGLISH    AND    SCOTCH    BAPTISTS 


were  found  for  the  work,  which  was  started  in  1877.  Its 
success  has  been  extraordinary,  and  perhaps  there  has  been 
no  more  promising  field  for  any  mission.  By  the  labors  of 
Mr.  Holman  Bentley,  one  of  the  original  missionaries,  the 
language  has  been  reduced  to  writing,  a  grammar  and  dic- 
tionary have  been  prepared,  and  the  beginnings  of  Christian 
literature  achieved. 


A  mission  to  Nablous,  in  Palestine,  the  ancient  Shechem, 
was  adopted  by  the  society  in  1885,  and  156  native  mem- 
bers have  been  gathered  into  fellowship.  The  centenary 
of  the  Baptist  Mission  in  1892  was  celebrated  by  meetings 
at  Kettering,  as  in  the  jubilee  of  1842,  and  at  Leicester, 
the  scene  of  Carey's  pastorate  ;  also  in  London  and  at  many 
places  all  through  the  country.  The  centenary  contributions 
amounted  to  ;^i  14,670  4s.  lod. ,  a  sum  which,  compared 
with  the  jubilee  offering  of  ;^33,704  7d. ,  maybe  taken  to 
measure  the  increase  of  interest  in  the  missionary  work,  as 
well  as  the  general  advance  of  the  denomination.  The  sum 
has  been  in  part  expended  in  opening  new  missions  ;  and 
with  the  view  of  still  augmenting  and  consolidating  the  work, 
an  effort  is  now  in  progress  to  raise  the  annual  income  of 
the  society  to  ^,^100,000.^ 

3.  Union  of  the  "  GeneraV  and  '■'■  Particular'' \  Baptists. 
The  year  1891  was  marked,  although  very  quietly,  by  one 
of  those  events  which  show,  even  more  expressively  than  con- 
spicuous demonstrations,  the  tendency  of  modern  religious 
thought.  The  General  Baptists,  as  distinct  from  their 
Particular    brethren,   had    hitherto    maintained    their   sepa- 

1  The  number  of  missionaries  and  churches  was  thus  reported  in  the  centenary  year 
and  in  1900  : 


1892.                        1 

1900. 

a 

e 

n 

Q 

6 

64 

2 

20 

1 
26 
94  1 

2 

I 
I 
6 

5.640 
891 

1,741 

156 

71 

4,383] 

1,041  1 
128  r 
756  J 
608 

60 

3 

29 

I 

33 

166  2 

6 

6,960 

1,004 

China 

4,652 

no 

400 

Trinidad 

5,732 

Italy 

822 

1  Evangelists. 


2  Missionaries  and  evangelists. 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  49 

rateness,  in  their  Association  at  home  and  in  their  mission  to 
Orissa.  At  the  same  time  the  two  bodies  had  cordially  joined 
their  forces  in  the  Baptist  Union,  had  been  free  of  each 
others'  pulpits,  and  being  equally  evangelical,  had  in  many 
respects  become  indistinguishable.  Why  should  they  not  be- 
come formally  one  ?  The  question  had  been  often  asked  ;  it 
was  now  practically  answered  in  the  union  of  the  two  mis- 
sionary societies.  It  was  inevitable  that  other  denomina- 
tional institutions,  as  the  college,  should  follow  suit ;  and  the 
happy  result  is  that  the  "General"  and  "Particular"  now 
dwell  side  by  side,  and  happily  realize  that  they  have  one 
gospel  for  the  church  and  for  the  world. 

4.  The  Outlook.  Compared  with  the  beginning  of  the 
century  the  present  period  is  full  of  encouragement.  The 
work  of  the  churches  is  zealous  and  prosperous  ;  their  minis- 
try is,  as  a  whole,  growingly  Hberal  and  evangelical.  Old 
watchwords,  indeed,  are  losing  their  force,  old  lines  of  de- 
markation  are  being  effaced  ;  there  is  a  more  free  and  cordial 
intercourse  with  brother  Christians  of  other  denominations. 
One  fact  is  most  noteworthy  :  the  National  Council  of  Evan- 
geUcal  Free  Churches  in  England  and  Wales  has  issued  for 
use  in  home  and  school,  an  "Evangelical  Free  Church 
Catechism,"  in  the  preparation  of  which  Congregationalists, 
Presbyterians,  Baptists,  Wesleyan  Methodists,  Primitive 
Methodists,  New-Connection  Methodists,  Bible  Christians, 
and  members  of  the  United  Methodist  Free  Churches,  have 
united,  and  there  has  been,  so  far  as  the  present  writer 
knows,  no  complaint  from  any  quarter  that  essential  doctrines 
have  been  overlooked.  The  fact  is  surely  a  sign  of  the 
times. 

But  with  all  this,  the  Baptists  hold  by  their  distinctive 
principles.  Many  indications  show  that  these  principles  are 
spreading.  There  is,  at  least,  a  conviction,  often  unex- 
pressed, but  held  by  Christian  thinkers  in  all  communions, 
that  baptism  is  the  sign  of  personal  discipleship.  It  is  true 
that  the  "mode"  is  often  regarded  as  secondary;  but  it  is 
seen  by  Baptists  themselves,  that  the  question  of  "subject" 
is  immeasurably  the  more  important.  The  rapid  growth  of 
open  communion  in  England — Scotland  and  Wales  being 
still  exceptions — has  brought  all  parties  closer  together  with- 
out surrender  of  conviction  on  any  side.  The  Baptist  Union 
now  contains  many  churches  which  receive  both  Baptists  and 
Pedobaptists  to  full  membership  ;  the  Congregational  Union 
has  many  which  receive  both  Pedobaptists  and  Baptists.  In 
such  churches,  generally  speaking,  the  restriction  of  the  min- 

D 


50  ENGLISH    AND    SCOTCH    BAPTISTS 

istry  to  one  or  the  other  section  determines  the  denomina- 
tional connection. 

Whether  this  tendency  to  fusion  will  increase,  or  whether, 
in  the  progress  of  Christian  thought,  some  influences  may 
arise  to  renew  the  old  division,  only  time  can  prove.  Mean- 
while denominational  institutions  flourish.  If  the  income  of 
the  Missionary  Society  be  taken  as  a  test,  it  may  be  noted 
that  this  is  distinctly  increasing,  the  figures  at  intervals  of  five 
years  being:  1887-1888,  ^^70, 142  ids.  5d.  ;  1892-1893, 
^72,729  8s.  3d.  ;  1897-1898,^75,331  9S.  2d.  ;  1899,^77,- 
642  2S.  9d. 

If  the  numerical  growth  of  the  churches  is  considered,  we 
find  that  the  membership  in  the  United  kingdom,  of  churches 
connected  with  the  Union,  is  now  calculated  to  amount  to 
360,475,  the  number  in  all  the  churches  being  about  500,- 
000  ;  the  reported  baptisms  of  the  past  years  having  been 
16,899  ii^  2,704  churches,  a  larger  number  than  for  many 
previous  years.  Of  the  whole  number,  the  Baptists  in  Scot- 
land report  16,905  in  118  churches  ;  those  in  Ireland,  2,719 
in  32  churches.  Other  organizations  connected  with  the 
body  show  similar  results.  In  view  of  the  twentieth  century, 
and  with  the  desire  to  present  a  worthy  thank  offering  at  its 
commencement,  a  fund  is  now  being  raised  which  it  is  hoped 
will  reach  ^250,000.  Tokens  for  good  abound,  and  every 
sign  of  the  times  is  a  stimulus  to  hope  for  the  century  to 
come. 

Samuel  G.  Green. 


IV 

WELSH  BAPTISTS  IN  THE  NINETEENTH 
CENTURY 


It  is  generally  understood  that  Baptist  principles  were 
known  in  Wales  at  a  very  early  period.  Historic  evidence  is 
not  sufficiently  clear  to  justify  positive  statement  as  to  the 
manner  in  which  this  knowledge  was  acquired.  It  is  very 
probable  that  Christian  disciples,  driven  by  the  persecutions 
which  raged  at  intervals  during  the  first  and  second  centuries, 
found  their  way  to  Britain  and  established  churclies  there  after 
the  New  Testament  model. 

The  Reformation  awakened  religious  interest  in  many  parts 
of  the  world.  Its  influence  upon  Wales  was  not  direct  and 
yet  Avas  real.  The  revivals  in  Wales  in  which  modern  Chris- 
tianity found  its  genesis  were  purely  local  in  their  origin,  but 
the  men  that  were  used  of  God  to  produce  them  had  felt  the 
new  throb  of  life  that  the  Reformation  had  inspired. 

We  are  not  for  a  moment  to  suppose  that  Baptists  had  died 
out  of  the  land  before  the  modern  movement  set  in.  During 
most  of  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries  they  did 
not  come  into  the  fore  because  they  were  under  the  ban. 
They  were  more  bitterly  hated  by  the  enemies  of  truth  and 
righteousness  in  high  places  than  any  other  type  of  Chris- 
tians. They  represented  principles  which'  struck  at  the  very 
foundations  of  ecclesiastical  and  political  tyranny,  and  they 
called  down  upon  themselves  in  consequence  the  unrighteous 
vengeance  of  kings  and  magistrates,  sycophants  and  time- 
servers. 

It  was  as  late  as  1649  before  the  first  church  of  the  new  era 
was  formed  at  Elston  near  Swansea.  The  first  Association 
was  held  here,  at  which  three  churches  only  were  represented. 
This  was  the  feeble  beginning  or  reappearance  of  those  in- 
fluences that  have  long  since  permeated  the  land,  and  reached 
out  in  beneficent  potency  into  the  nobler  life  of  the  world. 
In  1689  this  little  body  of  Christian  disciples  united  with  the 
Baptists  of  London,  but  in  1700  they  formed  again  an  Asso- 
ciation of  their  own.     They  met  at  Llanwenarth,  where  a 

51 


52     WELSH    BAPTISTS    IN    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY 

chapel  was  erected  in  1695.  Nine  churches  represented  at 
that  time  the  total  strength  of  the  Baptists  of  Wales.  The 
work  which  has  been  accomplished  since  that  comparatively 
recent  period  has  no  parallel  in  the  activities  of  our  people  in 
any  part  of  the  world. 

When  the  nineteenth  century  was  breaking  the  dawn,  the 
Welsh  Baptists  were  emerging  out  of  obscurity.  There  were 
already  churches  of  considerable  strength  in  South  Wales,  but 
their  members  were  gathered  from  distances  that  would  be 
utterly  incomprehensible  to  the  church-goers  of  the  present 
day.  The  faithful  used  to  travel  thirty,  forty,  and  even  fifty 
miles  to  the  monthly  Communion  services  at  RhydwiUm, 
Llanwenarth,  and  other  religious  centers. 

North  Wales  had  scarcely  been  touched  by  Baptist  influence 
at  this  time,  and  considerable  parts  of  South  Wales  were  in  a 
hke  condition.  Nearly  all  the  religious  edifices  that  are  now 
found  wherever  there  is  a  population  have  been  erected  out 
of  the  poverty  of  the  people  during  the  last  100  years.  In 
the  beginning  of  the  century  the  number  of  Baptist  members 
would  not  have  been  more  than  4,000  or  5,000  all  told; 
now  they  are  considerably  over  100,000.  The  average  an- 
nual increase  of  the  past  few  years  has  been  between  4,000 
and  5,000.  There  is  provision  at  the  present  time  in  the 
Baptist  chapels  of  the  principality  for  350,000  hearers.  When 
all  the  circumstances  are  considered  the  record  is  an  amazing 
exhibition  of  zeal  and  devotion,  of  enthusiasm  and  consecra- 
tion, and  withal  of  a  splendid  loyalty  to  the  principles  which 
it  required  no  small  sacrifice  to  espouse  and  maintain. 

Yorkshire,  England,  is  larger  than  all  Wales,  with  Mon- 
mouthshire included.  Its  population  in  1861  exceeded  thai 
of  Wales  by  over  746,356,  and  yet  the  census  returns  give  to 
Wales  five  times  as  many  Baptist  churches  and  about  six 
times  as  many  Baptist  members.  In  Yorkshire  we  had  one 
Baptist  to  every  178  of  the  population,  in  Wales  one  to  every 
twenty.  Such  comparison  might  be  made,  I  have  no  doubt, 
with  similar  results  in  many  other  parts  of  England.  In  1844 
the  average  number  of  members  in  the  Baptist  churches  of 
England  was  ninety-two  ;  in  the  Baptist  churches  of  Wales, 
113,  or  one-fourth  more.  At  that  time,  in  proportion  to 
population,  the  Baptist  churches  of  England  should  have  re- 
ported sixteen  times  as  many  as  those  reported  in  Wales. 
The  actual  return  was  but  five  times  as  many.  The  popu- 
lation stood  at  that  date:  England,  15,000,000;  Wales, 
91 1,000. 

There  are  some  distinguishing  features  of  Welsh  Baptist 


WELSH    BAPTISTS    IN    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY      53 

life  which  might  justify  a  passing  mention.  They  are  all 
(with  the  exception  of  a  few  English  churches  in  the  larger 
centers)  what  are  called  close  communionists.  They  strictly 
adhere  to  what  they  believe  to  be  apostoHc,  leaving  it  for 
those  who  differ  from  them  to  follow  their  own  bent. 

Their  Sunday-schools  have  always  been  quasi  theological 
institutions.  The  adult  classes  search  the  Scriptures  and 
eschew  lesson  leaves  and  other  appliances  in  favor  with  their 
English-speaking  brethren.  Fifty  and  more  years  ago  it  was 
the  custom  in  \\'ales  that  one  school  visit  another,  not  too 
distant,  to  recite  the  "Pwnc,"  as  it  was  called.  This  was  a 
theme  placed  in  catechetical  order,  with  Scripture  proof. 
Many  an  aged  Christian  in  Wales  retains  a  pleasing  recollection 
of  these  occasions.  The  whole  school  would  march  in  orderly 
procession  and  happy  song,  often  along  mountain  slopes  or 
through  romantic  vales,  to  the  chapel  where  the  event  of  the 
day  was  to  take  place.  The  answers  to  the  questions  would 
be  given  now  by  one  person,  then  by  a  class,  and  then  again 
by  the  whole  school  in  unison.  When  it  was  desired  to  place 
special  emphasis  on  any  part  of  the  recitation  the  whole  school 
would  join  in  with  rhythmic  cadence. 

The  men  who  contributed  to  the  accomplishment  of  mag- 
nificent results  are  worthy  of  being  held  in  remembrance.  In 
many  instances  they  were  exceptional  both  for  ability  and 
consecration.  Those  who  prepared  the  way  for  the  great 
work  were  for  the  most  part  highly  educated  and  splendidly 
endowed  sons  of  the  Established  Church  who  espoused  Baptist 
principles  as  the  result  of  an  earnest  study  of  the  Scriptures 
and  at  unspeakable  personal  sacrifice.  Such  men  as  Penry  and 
Vavasor  Powell  did  much  to  awaken  the  popular  mind  on  the 
subject  of  religion  and  to  set  influences  in  operation  that 
looked  toward  their  moral  and  spiritual  uplifting.  Vavasor 
Powell  was  a  preacher  of  extraordinary  power  in  both  Welsh 
and  EngHsh.  He  suffered  much  for  his  principles.  He  was 
immured  in  as  many  as  thirteen  prisons,  in  one  of  which  he 
died  on  December  27,  1670. 

It  is  almost  invidious  to  mention  names  where  excellence 
has  been  so  evenly  distributed.  And  yet  we  cannot  altogether 
refrain  from  doing  so.  Morgan  John  Rhees,  great-grand- 
father of  the  eminent  educator.  Rush  Rhees,  ll.  d.  ,  presi- 
dent of  Rochester  University,  was  one  of  the  foremost  of 
them.      He  was  a  hero  of  religious  hberty. 

Joseph  Harries  (Comer)  was  pastor  in  Swansea  in  1773. 
He  enjoyed  scarcely  any  educational  advantages,  and  yet  by 
his  own  plodding  industry  he  became   one  of  the  leading 


54     WELSH    BAPTISTS    IN    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY 

literary  men  of  his  age.  He  was  an  expert  controversialist, 
a  clear  and  logical  reasoner,  a  fine  poet.  He  impressed  him- 
self upon  his  generation  mightily. 

Christmas  Evans  has  attained  a  fame  which  is  worldwide. 
His  gifts  were  such  as  to  impress  and  influence  the  popular 
mind  more  profoundly  than  those  of  any  other  man  of  his 
age.  His  early  life  was  remarkable  chiefly  for  the  insupera- 
ble barriers  which  it  seemed  to  place  before  extended  useful- 
ness, much  less  fame.  He  was  of  obscure  parentage  in  one 
of  the  most  secluded  and  morally  benighted  portions  of  the 
land.  He  was  untaught  in  the  merest  rudiments  of  educa- 
tion. For  some  time  after  he  began  to  preach  it  was  impos- 
sible to  determine  whether  he  was  a  genius  or  a  fool.  That 
great,  over-mastering  faculty  which  in  after  years,  under  the 
most  careful  discipline,  was  the  main  secret  of  his  unrivaled 
power,  now  but  infused  a  capricious  wildness  into  his  utter- 
ances which  astonished  rather  than  impressed,  and  exposed 
to  ridicule  rather  than  to  admiration.  It  was  not  long, 
however,  before  he  was  able  to  use  his  pinions  without  even 
appearing  to  be  grotesque.  Wales  will  never  forget  some  of 
his  transcendent  flights  of  genius.  He  was  certainly  a  prince 
among  the  princes. 

John  Jenkins,  of  Hengoed,  was  also  an  outstanding  man. 
He  was  of  lowly  birth  and  unfavorable  surroundings,  but  in 
spite  of  these  inimical  conditions  he  became  great  and  influ- 
ential. John  Williams  was  a  scholar.  His  acquirements  were 
great  for  the  times,  and  especially  in  view  of  the  fact  that  he 
was  self-taught.  At  twenty-one  he  published  a  Welsh-Eng- 
lish grammar  which  gave  him  no  small  repute  among  the 
scholarly  of  all  denominations.  He  translated  the  New 
Testament  into  the  Welsh  language. 

Thomas  Rees  Davies  was  a  rare  character  in  his  way.  He 
had  a  few  sermons  that  were  most  effective.  He  preached 
them  to  the  same  congregations  with  a  frequency  that  we 
cannot  think  of  without  wonder.  People  never  tired  of 
hearing  them,  they  were  so  absolutely  original.  Robert 
Ellis  might  have  readily  passed  for  one  of  the  old  Druidical 
priests,  with  his  capacious  cranium  and  flowing  beard.  He 
was  a  poet  of  high  order  and  an  authority  on  every  branch  of 
Welsh  literature. 

WiUiam  Morgan,  the  author  of  the  first  ''Life  of  Christmas 
Evans,"  and  a  life-time  pastor  in  Holyhead,  Anglesey,  de- 
serves grateful  remembrance  both  for  what  he  was  and  what 
he  did. 

John  Prichard,  for  years  a  leading  spirit  in  the  councils  of 


WELSH    BAPTISTS    IN    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY      55 

the  denomination  in  North  Wales  and  first  president  of  the 
Llangollen  College,  was  a  conspicuous  and  influential  figure 
for  many  years  in  all  that  region  of  country. 

Daniel  Davies,  "The  Blind  Man,"  as  he  was  familiarly 
called,  was  not  the  least  of  any  of  his  contemporaries.  He 
lost  his  sight  when  eight  years  old.  Despite  this  disadvan- 
tage his  mind  was  richly  stored  with  every  variety  of  informa- 
tion. He  had  an  acquaintance  with  books  which  impressed 
with  wonder  those  who  casually  associated  with  him.  He 
was  abreast  of  the  thinking  of  his  age.  He  kept  some  one 
always  at  his  side  whose  business  it  was  to  read  to  him.  His 
conversational  as  well  as  his  preaching  ability  was  of  the  very 
rarest.  Many  others  were  there  whom  to  mention  would 
be  a  pleasure  were  there  only  space. 

Among  the  forces  that  have  contributed  to  the  strength 
and  influence  which  Baptists  have  attained  in  Wales,  preach- 
ing has  been  imperial.  It  has  been  the  inspiration  of  every 
other  activity  which  has  served  to  solidify  and  crystaUize  their 
life.  For  generations  schools  were  few  and  poor,  books  were 
scarcely  to  be  found,  hterature  and  the  sciences  were  un- 
known •  the  most  ambitious  had  to  look  to  the  pulpit  for  intel- 
lectual stimulation  as  well  as  for  religious  impulse.  The 
Welsh  preachers  were  the  sole  educators  of  the  people.  As 
the  great  statesmen  and  great  scholars  of  the  Middle  Ages 
were  mostly  ecclesiastics,  so  it  may  be  said  that  the  pioneers 
in  secular  education,  in  national  enfranchisement,  as  well  as 
in  every  broadening  and  uplifting  agency  which  has  operated 
upon  the  Welsh  character  and  hfe,  were  preachers  of  the 
gospel.  To  the  Nonconformist  pulpit  and  to  the  revival 
influences  which  it  awakened  and  fostered,  more  than  to  all 
other  instrumentalities  combined,  are  owing  the  virihty  of 
character,  the  mental  robustness,  the  rehgious  quality,  to- 
gether with  the  ever-brightening  outlook,  educationally, 
socially,  nationally,  and  religiously,  which  now  obtains. 

No  history  of  Welsh  religious  life  would  be  complete  with- 
out reference  to  the  Associational  gatherings.  These,  in  the 
early  part  of  the  century,  were  by  all  odds  the  most  impor- 
tant events  of  the  year.  They  were  attended  by  vast  multi- 
tudes from  far  and  near.  When  churches  were  few  and 
distinguished  ministers  rare  and  religious  privileges  not  so 
common  as  they  are  to-day,  the  Association  was  looked  for- 
ward to  by  all  classes  of  the  population  as  the  rarest  occasion 
that  could  come  within  their  reach.  The  spot  where  it  was 
held  was  generally  well  chosen,  an  amphitheatre  of  wood- 
land and  mountain  often  giving  every  faciUty  for  aesthetic. 


56     WELSH    BAPTISTS    IN    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY 

oratorical,  and  at  the  same  time  religious  impressiveness.  It 
was  no  common  sight,  when  one  of  the  princes  of  the  pulpit 
occupied  the  temporary  platform,  to  witness  the  eager  multi- 
tude pass  through  all  the  varied  transformations  of  intellectual 
and  emotional  enthusiasm.  It  was  on  one  of  these  occasions 
that  Christmas  Evans,  while  yet  a  young  and  unknown  man, 
became  famous. 

These  were,  with  rare  exceptions,  self-educated  men. 
Christmas  Evans  was  out  of  his  teens  before  he  could  even 
read.  Educational  facilities  of  any  sort  were  meagre  in 
those  days,  and  to  the  sons  of  toil  even  what  existed  were 
not  available. 

The  first  school  of  the  prophets  was  in  Trosnant,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Pontypool.  It  was  established  in  1732,  and  con- 
tinued to  do  a  good  but  inadequate  work  until  1770.  Some 
of  the  brightest  ministers  of  that  generation  were  educated 
here.  The  celebrated  Morgan  Edwards,  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Philadelphia  and  founder  of  Brown  Uni- 
versity, was  a  student  in  this  institution  in  1740. 

When  the  Association  met  in  Ffynonhenry  in  1803  larger 
plans  for  ministerial  education  were  considered,  resulting  in 
the  establishment  of  the  Abergavenny  Academy,  which  for 
years  filled  a  large  need  in  the  denominational  life.  Micah 
Thomas  was  the  efficient  and  universally  esteemed  president. 
Not  a  few  of  those  who  studied  under  him  were  eminently 
useful  men.  This  institution  was  removed  to  Pontypool, 
where  the  blessing  of  ministerial  education  was  for  many 
years  greatly  extended  under  the  efficient  presidency  of  Dr. 
Thomas  Thomas.  He  was  succeeded  by  W.  Lewis,  m.  a. 
For  some  years  past  the  genial  and  erudite  Dr.  William  Ed- 
wards has  ably  occupied  the  position.  Recently  the  institu- 
tion was  removed  to  Cardiff  so  as  to  be  within  reach  of 
university  facilities  for  instruction  in  the  arts  and  sciences. 

The  Haverford  West  College  was  established  in  1840.  It 
has  had  a  grand  record  of  usefulness.  The  Haverford  West 
College  was  removed  to  Aberyswyth  for  a  few  years  under 
the  presidency  of  Dr.  A.  J.  Morris. 

The  Llangollen  College  was  the  last  to  come  into  existence 
and  did  a  useful  work  for  the  churches  in  North  Wales.  Dr. 
Prichard,  Dr.  Hugh  Jones,  and  Dr.  Gethen  Davies  were 
successively  its  presidents.  This  institution  has  now  removed 
to  Bangor,  under  the  presidency  of  Silas  Morris,  m.  a.,  and 
with  the  eminent  Hebraist,  Dr.  Whitton  Davies,  filling  one 
of  its  chairs. 

The  removal  of  the  theological  schools  to  centers  where 


WELSH    BAPTISTS    IN    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY      57 

the  arts  work  in  all  the  higher  branches  may  be  prosecuted 
in  the  university  colleges  of  the  country,  is  likely  to  prove 
one  of  the  most  important  denominational  movements  of  the 
century.  We  certainly  cannot  regard  with  contempt  the 
work  done  by  these  schools,  meagre  though  their  educational 
equipments  admittedly  were,  when  we  think  of  some  of  their 
brilliant  sons.  John  Emlyn  Jones  was,  in  addition  to  being  a 
strong  preacher,  a  man  of  rare  poetic  gifts.  His  name  forty 
years  ago  was  familiarly  and  favorably  known  throughout  the 
land.  WiUiam  Roberts  (Nevydd)  Blaenau,  was  as  thoroughly 
appreciated  as  a  historian  as  Emlyn  was  as  a  poet.  Richards, 
and  Roberts,  of  Pontypridd,  were  both  preachers  of  insight 
and  originality.  Hughes,  of  Maesteg,  was  as  sweet-spirited 
a  man  as  ever  trod  the  soil,  and  his  sermons  were  Hke  "the 
droppings  of  the  honeycomb. ' '  Nathaniel  Thomas,  Cardiff, 
and  Evan  Thomas,  Newport,  were  both  giants  in  their  day. 
Thomas  Davies,  president  of  Haverford  West  College  forty 
years  ago,  was  as  fine  a  model  of  chaste  and  incisive  elo- 
quence as  could  be  found  in  the  pulpit  of  any  land.  R.  A. 
Jones,  of  Swansea,  was  not  perhaps  great  as  some  men  count 
greatness,  nor  was  he  a  college  man,  but  he  held  the  largest 
audience  in  Wales  together  for  many  years,  and  I  can  bear 
witness  that  he  was  one  of  the  greatest  masters  in  adjusting  his 
voice  to  the  musical  cadences  of  the  language  I  have  ever 
known.  Hugh  Jones,  Carmarthen,  had  a  portly  body  and  a 
voice  of  fine  quahty  and  volume.  He  appeared  at  his  best 
on  Associational  platforms,  stirred  into  a  glow  of  fervid  ora- 
tory by  the  sympathetic  enthusiasm  of  the  assembled  thou- 
sands. Dr.  Hugh  Jones,  Llangollen,  shone  more  as  a  writer 
than  a  preacher.  His  books  have  won  for  him  a  high  degree. 
Roberts,  Llewynhendy,  was  not  a  college  man,  but  he  became 
a  preacher  that  captivated  audiences  almost  as  completely  as 
Christmas  Evans.  His  words  came  forth  with  such  rapidity 
that  when  wrought  up  to  a  high  pitch  of  feehng,  it  seemed 
like  the  rapids  of  Niagara,  majestic  and  irresistible.  Dr. 
Morgan,  of  Llanelly  (Lleurug),  was  among  the  few  men  in 
the  principahty  who  used  manuscript  freely.  His  style  was 
flowing  and  poetical  to  a  degree.  Audiences  were  captivated 
with  the  beauty  and  strength  of  his  sentences.  It  seemed 
sometimes  to  be  an  idyl  or  a  poem  from  first  to  last.  The 
wonder  is  that  he  could  keep  this  sort  of  thing  up  for  forty 
years  and  hold  one  of  the  largest  audiences  in  the  land  in 
enthusiastic  admiration.  Dr.  Price,  of  Aberdare,  was  many- 
sided  and  resourceful.  He  would  have  made  a  good  laAvyer 
or  statesman.      He  was  a  fine  organizer  and  would  have  been 


58     WELSH    BAPTISTS    IN    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY 

a  distinguished  success  in  any  sphere  in  which  intellectual 
alertness  and  fine  conversational  ability  were  in  demand. 
Dr.  Evans,  of  Neath,  had  a  keen,  analytical  mind.  If  he 
had  enjoyed  larger  advantages,  he  would  have  made  a  critic 
of  abihty.  His  style  of  preaching  was  peculiar.  He  seemed 
at  times  to  take  delight  in  tantalizing  his  audiences  by  a 
method  which  he  had  of  playing  around  his  subject.  He 
would  keep  them  eagerly  hstening  for  what  they  beheved  he 
had  in  reserve  for  them.  Sometimes  they  would  go  away 
disappointed,  but  not  often.  His  sermons  were  frequently 
masterpieces  of  originality  and  the  unmusical  screech,  which 
in  his  more  intense  moments  he  would  indulge  in,  greatly 
added  to  the  effect,  and  is  remembered  and  spoken  of  to- 
day with  reminiscent  interest.  John  Jones  (Methetes),  did 
not  excel  as  a  preacher.  He  lacked  the  sympathetic  quality. 
He  could  interest  intelligent  people  by  what  he  said,  but 
could  not  move  them  to  enthusiasm  as  many  far  inferior  to 
him  in  intellectual  gifts  could.  He,  however,  excelled  as  a 
writer.  He  did  more  for  his  countrymen  in  this  way  than 
any  other  man  of  his  age.  David  Evans,  Dudley,  was  a 
preacher  of  rare  ability  in  both  Welsh  and  English.  My 
difficulty  is  to  know  where  to  stay  my  hand.  The  field  is 
fascinatingly  inviting.  Names  come  up  before  me  by  the 
score  that  are  worthy  of  a  nobler  remembrance  than  I  could 
give  them. 

In  more  recent  years  the  type  has  changed  with  the  chang- 
ing conditions,  but  the  quality  has  not  deteriorated.  The 
preachers  of  the  past  quarter  of  a  century  have  been  well 
abreast  of  the  best  Hfe  and  culture  of  their  times.  Rowlands, 
of  Llanelly,  whom  I  knew  to  love  and  honor  in  the  prime  of 
his  early  manhood,  is  now  a  handsome  old  man  with  a  hfe  of 
distinguished  usefulness  forming  a  halo  which  transfigures  his 
white  locks  into  a  "crown  of  glory. "  "  Myfir  Emlyn," 
whose  sermonic  and  poetic  genius  was  unsurpassed,  has  re- 
cently fallen  by  the  hand  of  death.  Davies,  of  Carnarvon, 
and  A.  J.  Pawry,  Cyfn  Mawr,  Morris  Treorchy  and  Daniel 
Jones,  of  Whitland,  Morris  Aberystwyth  and  WiUiams  Lan- 
dore,  Lloyd  Castletown  and  D.  Oliver  Edwards,  Davies, 
Cardiff,  and  Jones,  Pontypridd,  are  all  men  of  intellectual 
strength  and  spiritual  earnestness,  who  would  be  an  adorn- 
ment to  the  pulpit  of  any  land.  A  fellow-student  of  mine 
at  Haverford  West,  Rev.  J.  Spinther  James,  of  Llandidro,  is 
the  historian  par  excellence  of  the  present  time  in  Wales. 
And  these  are  but  representatives.  I  am  conscious  that  I 
have   left   unmentioned  many  who   are  their  peers,  and  in 


WELSH    BAPTISTS    IN    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY      59 

some  instances  their  superiors.  I  must  not  close,  however, 
this  hurried  sketch  without  mentioning  the  name  of  John 
Gomer  Lewis,  whom  Swansea  and  the  whole  of  Wales  have 
learned  to  appreciate  and  honor. 

The  institutions  that  have  served  as  helpful  agencies  in 
Baptist  development  are  the  Building  Fund  for  Wales,  organ- 
ized in  1862,  with  a  capital  of  £,^,(^12  iis.,  for  the  purpose 
of  making  free  loans  to  churches,  payable  in  annual  install- 
ments of  ten  per  cent.;  the  Welsh  Baptist  Union,  formed  in 
1866,  now  representing  the  whole  strength  of  the  denomina- 
tion ;  the  Baptist  religious  press,  including  a  weekly  and  two 
or  three  monthlies,  have  all  facilitated  denominational  activ- 
ity and  usefulness  to  an  extent  that  we  cannot  readily  estimate. 

The  Welsh  Baptists  have  exerted  no  small  influence  upon 
the  denominational  Hfe  of  the  world.  Some  of  the  brightest 
men  who  have  occupied  and  adorned  the  pulpits  of  England 
have  hailed  from  the  principality.  Thomas  Morgan,  of  Bir- 
mingham ;  Joshua  Thomas,  of  Leominster  ;  Jenkyn  Thomas, 
of  Cheltenham  ;  David  Griffiths,  of  Acrington  ;  Benjamin 
Davies,  of  Regent's  Park,  and  many  others,  stand  out  as  names 
to  be  honored  throughout  the  generations.  In  more  recent 
years  the  number  has  multiplied,  but  the  quality  has  not  been 
of  less  worth.  John  Thomas,  of  Myrtle  Street  Chapel,  Liver- 
pool, had  no  superior  among  the  men  of  his  age,  either  for 
fine  scholarly  acquirements  or  for  profound,  philosophic,  and 
at  the  same  time  picturesque  abihty  as  a  preacher.  David 
Davies,  of  Brighton,  for  industry  and  versatility,  is  unsur- 
passed, and  Evan  Thomas,  of  Eahng,  stands  at  the  forefront 
for  fine  fancy  and  captivating  pathos.  The  English  pulpit  in 
Wales  has  in  later  years  found  its  most  able  and  efficient 
pastors  among  the  sons  of  the  soil.  James  Owen,  of  Swansea, 
has  for  many  years  been  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  finished 
and  powerful  preachers  in  the  land.  He  was  honored  a  few 
years  ago  by  the  Baptist  Union  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland 
by  being  elected  its  chairman.  He  has  declined  some  of  the 
most  influential  pulpits  in  England.  J.  W.  Williams,  pastor 
of  the  Memorial  Church  in  the  same  town,  is  a  man  of  rare 
intellectual  and  homiletical  gifts.  He  did  a  fine  work  in  the 
leading  Welsh  Baptist  church  in  America  and  has  labored  in 
Swansea  under  conditions  that  have  been  inimical  in  no  small 
degree,  and  that  Avith  a  goodly  measure  of  success.  Evan 
Thomas,  Newport,  dispensed  to  delighted  audiences  the  sin- 
cere milk  of  the  word. 

Mills,  of  Carmarthen,  my  successor  when  I  left  Wales  for 
America  \  the  intellectually  alert  and  brotherly  Jones,  of  Pem- 


60     WELSH    BAPTISTS    IN    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY 

broke  Dock,  and  Williams,  of  Newtown,  are  men  of  light 
and  leading  in  the  English  pulpits  of  the  principality.  Rowe 
Evans,  of  Neath,  a  man  of  large  heart  and  rare  eloquence, 
died  recently  in  the  prime  of  his  manhood  and  in  the  very 
zenith  of  his  popularity. 

John  Williams,  Pontypool,  my  old  chum  at  college,  has  oc- 
cupied one  of  the  leading  pulpits  in  Monmouthshire  for  nearly 
a  quarter  of  a  century  and  was,  when  I  last  saw  him,  a  few- 
years  since,  as  young  and  fresh  in  his  thinking  as  he  ever  was. 
These  are  but  samples  of  the  men  who  are  now  filling  the 
Enghsh  pulpits  of  Wales. 

In  Brittany  a  flourishing  mission  work  carried  on  for  half 
a  century  and  more,  was  commenced  by  a  son  of  Dr.  John 
Jenkins,  of  Hengold.  The  New  Testament  was  translated 
by  him  into  the  language  of  the  people.  In  connection  with 
our  denominational  missions  in  India  there  are  Welsh  names 
which  will  not  be  forgotten,  among  them  those  of  John 
Thomas,  Thomas  Evans,  Daniel  Jones,  William  James,  and 
Timothy  Richards. 

Among  the  Welsh-speaking  people  of  the  United  States  the 
most  influential  men  as  Baptist  clergyman  fifty  years  ago  were 
W.  Morgans,  Pottsville  ;  William  Owens,  Pittsburg ;  J.  E. 
Jones,  Cincinnati  ;  Morris  WiUiams,  Utica ;  and  Thomas 
Davies,  New  York.  Later  J.  P.  Harris,  Minerville  ;  Theoph- 
ilus  Jones,  of  Scranton ;  P.  L.  Davies,  who  although  set- 
tled with  the  English  in  Camden,  New  Jersey,  was  claimed 
by  the  Welsh  as  one  of  the  very  choicest  of  her  sons  ;  Owen 
Griffiths  (Geruldus),  and  Fred.  Evans,  of  Hyde  Park,  who 
afterward  occupied  several  prominent  pulpits  among  the  Eng- 
lish-speaking Americans.  The  men  who  stand  out  among 
the  Welsh  in  the  United  States  to-day  are  W.  F.  Davies,  T. 
Roslyn  Davies,  Jacob  E.  Davies,  W.  D.  Thomas,  John  T. 
Griffiths,^  Ebenezer  Edwards.  The  last  has  retired  from  the 
active  ministry,  but  is  still  busy  with  his  pen. 

From  the  earHest  days  Welsh  Baptists  have  exerted  a  very 
positive  influence  upon  the  denominational  Hfe  of  English- 
speaking  America.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  type 
of  American  Baptist  hfe  was  struck  in  a  Welsh  mold. 

Roger  Williams,  the  champion  of  religious  hberty  ;  John 
Miles,  the  great-grandfather  of  General  Miles  of  the  United 
States  Army  ;  Dr.  Samuel  Jones,  of  Lower  Dublin,  and  the 
venerable  Isaac  Eaton,  first  master  of  Hopewell  Academy  ; 
Abel  Morgan  and  Morgan  Edwards,  distinguished  as  writers 

1  Author  of  "  Morgan  John  Rhys  "  and  "  Baptist  Missionaries  in  their  Relation  to  the 
Translation  of  the  Scriptures." 


WELSH    BAPTISTS    IN    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY     6 1 

and  preachers  ;  David  I'liomas,  the  pioneer  preacher  of  Vir- 
ginia and  Kentucky ;  David  Jones,  Horatio  Gates  Jones, 
Isaac  Bevan,  of  Scranton  ;  P.  L.  Davies,  a  very  apostle  of 
saintliness  ;  William  Shadrach,  John  Williams,  of  New  York, 
and  his  more  distinguished  son,  W.  R.  Williams,  were  Welsh- 
men, or  the  near  descendants  of  Welshmen. 

The  Welsh  do  not  figure  very  prominently  in  the  American 
Baptist  life  of  to-day,  but  their  descendants  do.  George  E. 
Rees,  of  Philadelphia  ;  Owen  James,  of  Johnstown,  Pa.,  and 
E.  E.  Chivers,  so  long  the  inspiring  and  level-headed  leader  of 
the  Young  People's  movement,  are  the  only  ones  direct  from 
the  old  sod  that  I  can  now  think  of  who  have  attained  to 
eminent  usefulness  and  honor,  but  those  who  have  descended 
from  a  Welsh  ancestry  are  to  be  found  in  high  places  all  over 
the  land.  The  new  president  of  Rochester  University,  the 
president  of  William  Jewell  College,  the  president  of  Buck- 
nell  University  ;  Dr.  Benjamin  Griffith,  the  former,  and  Dr. 
A.  J.  Rowland,  the  present  corresponding  secretary  of  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  and  one  of  the  secre- 
taries of  the  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  Dr.  Morgan,  Dr. 
H.  O.  Rowlands,  Dr.  Olden  Williams,  Dr.  P.  L.  Jones,  the 
accomplished  book  editor  of  the  Baptist  Pubhcation  Society, 
and  many  others  occupying  high  positions  both  as  teachers 
and  preachers  all  over  the  land,  are  proud  of  the  Welsh  blood 
running  through  their  veins. 

B.  D.  Thomas. 


V 

BAPTISTS  OF  THE  NEW  ENGLAND  STATES 


At  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century  there  were 
in  New  England  a  httle  more  than  four  hundred  Baptist 
churclies,  with  about  thirty  thousand  church-members.  For 
the  most  part  the  pastors  of  these  churches  were  not  college 
graduates.  They  had  been  taught  in  the  school  of  Christ, 
however,  possessed  deep  religious  convictions,  and  their  nat- 
ural gifts,  earnest  piety,  and  consecration  to  the  cause  of  their 
divine  Master  made  their  message  effective  and  gave  them 
great  success  as  soul  winners.  The  contest  for  religious  lib- 
erty, in  which  Backus  and  others  for  many  years  had  fought  so 
glorious  a  fight,  had  not  yet  ended  in  full  victory,  but  it  had 
secured  relief  from  the  oppression  the  New  England  Baptists 
had  so  long  endured,  and  only  a  few  added  rallies  of  the 
Baptist  host  were  needed  to  secure  that  just  measure  of  re- 
hgious  freedom  which  they  demanded,  not  for  themselves  but 
as  the  heritage  of  all. 

The  evangelistic  spirit  of  the  New  England  Baptist  churches 
early  led  to  the  adoption  of  plans  for  home  missionary  work. 
The  Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Society  was  organized 
in  1802,  the  Maine  Baptist  Missionary  Society  in  1804,  the 
Connecticut  Baptist  Missionary  Society  in  181 1,  and  the 
New  Hampshire  Baptist  Domestic  Mission  Society  in  18 19. 
The  Baptists  of  Rhode  Island  co-operated  with  the  Massa- 
chusetts Baptist  Missionary  Society  from  the  time  of  its 
organization.  Rev.  Stephen  Gano,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  in  Providence,  having  a  place  on  its  first  Board  of 
Trustees. 

The  foreign  missionary  spirit  was  awakened  a  little  later  by 
letters  from  William  Carey  concerning  his  work  in  India. 
There  were  in  these  churches  those  who  desired  to  co-operate 
with  him  and  his  associates  in  their  missionary  work,  but 
Carey  advised  otherwise.  But  the  departure  of  Judson  and 
his  associates  in  18 12  for  far-away  heathen  lands  deepened 
this  interest  awakened  by  Carey's  work,  and  when  at  length 
the  tidings  came  that  Judson  and  his  wife  had  become  Bap- 
tists and  had  been  baptized  at  Calcutta,  the  hearts  of  New 
62 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    NEW    ENGLAND    STATES  63 

England  Baptists  were  stirred  as  they  had  not  been  stirred 
before.  Later  came  the  inteUigence  that  Mr.  Rice  had  also 
become  a  Baptist.  When  he  returned  to  tliis  country  he 
found  the  Baptists  of  New  England  organized  for  effective 
work.  Arrangements  were  soon  made  for  an  address  to  the 
Baptists  of  the  United  States,  while  Mr.  Rice  was  requested 
to  travel  in  the  Middle  and  Southern  States  for  the  organiza- 
tion of  societies  to  co-operate  with  those  already  formed  in 
New  England.  It  was  the  organization  of  these  societies  that 
led  to  the  call  of  a  meeting  May  18,  1814,  to  consider  "a 
plan  for  ehciting,  combining,  and  directing  the  energies  of 
the  whole  denomination  in  one  sacred  effort  for  sending  the 
glad  tidings  of  salvation  to  the  heathen  and  to  nations  desti- 
tute of  pure  gospel  light."  This  meeting  resulted  in  the 
organization  of  "The  General  Missionary  Convention  of  the 
Baptist  Denomination  in  the  United  States  of  America  for 
Foreign  Missions. ' ' 

Early  in  the  century  an  interest  in  educational  matters 
characterized  the  Baptists  of  New  England.  At  that  time 
Brown  University,  at  Providence,  R.  I.,  was  the  only  educa- 
tional institution  under  their  auspices.  Admirably  did  this 
institution  meet  the  needs  of  the  denomination  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  New  England.  But  the  northern  parts  were  re- 
mote and  as  early  as  1807,  in  the  Bowdoinham  Association,  in 
the  district  of  Maine,  attention  was  called  to  the  importance 
of  securing  added  facilities  for  ministerial  education.  Three 
years  later,  at  a  meeting  of  the  same  Association,  a  committee 
was  chosen  to  take  into  consideration  the  propriety  of  petition- 
ing the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  for  the  incorporation 
of  an  institution  for  promoting  literary  and  theological  knowl- 
edge. This  institution,  located  at  Waterville,  and  opened 
in  1818,  became  Waterville  College  in  1821,  Colby  Univer- 
sity in  1867,  and  Colby  College  in  1899.  In  1825,  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  Newton  Theological  Institution  followed 
the  movement  at  Waterville.  Hebron  Academy,  at  Hebron, 
Me.,  was  established  in  1804,  and  Pierce  Academy,  at  Mid- 
dleboro,  Mass.,  in  1808.  These  were  the  Baptist  educa- 
tional institutions  in  New  England  at  the  close  of  the  first 
quarter  of  the  century. 

About  this  time  the  Baptists  of  the  several  New  England 
States  were  engaged  in  perfecting  their  organization  for  ag- 
gressive mission  work  within  their  own  borders.  The  Bap- 
tist Convention  of  Connecticut  was  organized  in  1823,  the 
State  Conventions  of  Maine,  Vermont,  and  Massachusetts 
were  organized  in  1824,  that  of  Rhode  Island  in  1825,  and 


64  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    NEW    ENGLAND    STATES 

that  of  New  Hampshire  in  1826.  The  aim  of  these  several 
organizations  at  the  outset  was  very  largely  a  missionary  one. 
Missionaries  were  employed,  and  new  or  neglected  fields  re- 
ceived their  attention.  But  these  State  organizations  were 
forceful  in  other  directions.  The  churches  in  each  of  these 
States  were  brought  into  closer  relations  for  organized  effort 
in  various  directions,  and  in  this  way  the  influence  of  the 
denomination  was  greatly  extended.  Other  organizations 
for  ministerial  education  and  charitable  work  were  also 
formed.  As  early  as  1816  an  Education  Society  was  or- 
ganized in  Rhode  Island.  The  Massachusetts  and  Connec- 
ticut Baptist  Education  Societies  were  organized  in  1818, 
and  the  Maine  Baptist  Education  Society  in  1819.  In 
1830,  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Education  Society  became 
the  Northern  Baptist  Education  Society,  and  in  co-operation 
with  this  society  the  Baptists  of  Rhode  Island  organized  the 
Rhode  Island  branch  of  the  Northern  Baptist  Education  So- 
ciety ;  the  Baptists  of  New  Hampshire,  the  New  Hampshire 
branch  of  this  society  ;  and  the  Vermont  Baptists,  the  Ver- 
mont branch  of  the  same  society — all  in  1830.  The  same 
course  was  adopted  by  the  Baptists  of  Connecticut  in  1832, 
but  the  auxiliary  relation  continued  only  a  short  time  and  the 
Connecticut  Baptist  Education  Society  has  since  maintained 
an  independent  organization.  In  1842,  the  Rhode  Island 
Baptist  Education  Society  was  formed,  and  the  relation  which 
the  Rhode  Island  Baptists  had  hitherto  sustained  to  the  Mas- 
sachusetts society  was  severed.  In  Maine,  also,  an  indepen- 
dent organization  was  continued. 

Into  the  Sunday-school  movement,  which  had  its  begin- 
nings in  New  England  in  the  first  quarter  of  the  century,  the 
Baptist  churches  entered  somewhat  slowly.  There  were  those 
among  the  older  members  of  the  churches  who  held  aloof 
from  the  new  movement  because  of  a  fear  that  the  organiza- 
tion of  Sunday-schools  would  be  followed  by  a  decline  in 
parental  instruction  and  family  reHgion  ;  but  for  the  most 
part  the  members  of  the  churches  placed  no  obstacles  at  least 
in  the  way  of  the  new  movement,  and  it  found  increasing 
favor.  The  Charles  Street  Baptist  Church,  in  Boston,  had  a 
Sunday-school  as  early  as  18 16.  Although  the  movement 
at  first  was  confined  to  the  cities  and  larger  towns,  it  soon 
extended  to  the  smaller  places.  It  was  not  deemed  neces- 
sary that  the  teachers  should  be  Christians,  but  teachers' 
meetings  were  held  and  Sunday-school  libraries  were  formed. 
At  length  in  the  several  States  societies  were  organized  in  the 
interest  of  Sunday-school  work,  and  in  1836  the  New  England 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    NEW    ENGLAND    STATES  65 

Baptist  Sunday-school  Union  came  into  existence.  In  Maine, 
the  Maine  Baptist  Sunday-school  Union  continued  its  work 
until  1854,  when  that  work  was  assumed  by  the  Convention, 
but  was  not  made  prominent.  In  New  Hampshire  and  Ver- 
mont the  Sabbath-school  Union  transferred  its  interests  to 
the  State  Convention  in  1844.  In  Massachusetts,  from  1848, 
the  Sunday-school  work  was  left  to  the  various  Associational 
Sunday-school  organizations  until  1885,  when  the  Massachu- 
setts Baptist  Sunday-school  Association  was  formed.  In 
Rhode  Island  a  Sabbath-school  Association  was  organized  in 
1840.  The  work  was  reorganized  in  1854,  and  is  still  vigor- 
ously prosecuted  under  the  title,  The  Rhode  Island  Baptist 
Sunday-school  Association.  The  Connecticut  Baptist  Sabbath- 
school  Society  was  organized  in  1830.  In  1836,  it  became 
auxiliary  to  the  New  England  Sunday-school  Union,  but  in 
1842  it  changed  its  name  to  the  Connecticut  Baptist  Sunday- 
school  and  Publication  Society.  For  many  years  the  Sunday- 
school  work  of  the  denomination  in  the  State  was  left  to  the 
Associational  Sunday-school  societies.  Later  the  Convention 
appointed  a  Sunday-school  secretary,  and  to  this  extent  gave 
attention  to  the  work.  In  1883,  the  Connecticut  Baptist 
Bible-school  Union  was  organized,  and  has  since  been  useful 
in  gathering  statistics  and  in  stimulating  Sunday-school  work 
throughout  the  State. 

The  doctrinal  belief  of  the  New  England  Baptist  churches 
found  expression  at  the  beginning  of  the  century  in  the  Phila- 
delphia Confession,  which  was  an  adaptation  of  the  West- 
minster Confession,  prepared  in  England  for  use  in  Baptist 
churches.  But  as  early  as  1830  there  was  a  call  on  the  part 
of  some  of  the  Baptists  of  New  England  for  a  better  ex- 
pression of  their  doctrinal  views,  and  June  24  of  that  year  a 
committee  was  appointed  by  the  New  Hampshire  Baptist 
Convention  to  prepare  a  "  Declaration  of  Faith  and  Practice, 
together  with  a  Covenant,"  and  to  submit  the  same  at  the 
next  meeting.  The  work  of  final  revision,  however,  seems 
to  have  been  performed  by  Rev.  J.  Newton  Brown,  at  least 
very  largely,  and  in  October,  1832,  he  laid  the  revised  arti- 
cles before  the  Board.  After  a  few  changes  they  were 
adopted  and  then  recommended  to  the  churches  of  the 
State.  These  articles  of  faith  have  since  been  known  as  the 
New  Hampshire  Confession.  After  the  lapse  of  twenty 
years,  Mr.  Brown,  in  a  republication  of  this  Confession, 
added  two  new  articles,  one  on  repentance  and  faith  and  the 
other  on  sanctification. 

What  has  just  been  said  is  in  evidence  as  to  progress  in 

£ 


66  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    NEW    ENGLAND    STATES 

Christian  doctrine  in  the  Baptist  churches  in  New  England. 
There  has  been  no  new  departure,  and  the  New  England 
Baptist  churches  have  held  all  through  the  century  the  doc- 
trines of  grace  which  they  received  from  the  fathers  as  the 
teachings  of  the  word  of  God.  During  the  century  added 
light  has  been  thrown  upon  that  word  from  a  great  many 
sources.  Then  too,  the  boundaries  of  knowledge  in  general 
have  been  extended,  and  as  a  result  the  revolving  years  have 
left  us,  not  a  new  theology,  but  the  old  theology  somewhat 
modified  and  restated. 

In  the  various  moral  reforms  the  New  England  Baptist 
churches  have  taken  a  prominent  part.  At  first  the  protest 
was  raised  against  the  excessive  drinking  of  intoxicating 
liquors,  and  a  New  England  Baptist  minister  in  the  early 
part  of  the  century  could  refer  to  this  as  a  "  habit  which  pre- 
vails to  the  utter  ruin  of  many  and  the  injury  of  miUions," 
and  he  added,  alluding  to  the  young,  "Shall  we  teach  them 
to  be  sober  and  temperate  and  not  be  so  ourselves  ?  ' ' 
Many  Baptist  church-members  had  a  part  in  the  Washing- 
tonian  movement.  In  not  a  few  of  the  churches,  while  this 
movement  was  in  progress,  temperance  societies  were  formed 
and  efforts  were  made  in  various  directions,  and  especially 
among  the  young,  for  the  cultivation  of  sound  temperance 
principles.  Baptist  Associations  and  State  Conventions  early 
began  to  place  on  record  their  convictions  concerning  the 
evils  of  intemperance,  and  throughout  the  century  the  Bap- 
tists of  New  England  have  been  consistent  and  united  in 
their  efforts  to  advance  the  cause  of  temperance  at  home  and 
abroad. 

Likewise  in  the  great  anti-slavery  movement,  beginning 
early  in  the  century,  the  Baptists  of  New  England  manifested 
the  deepest  interest.  It  was  not  forgotten  by  them  that 
among  the  slaveholders  at  the  South  were  very  many  mem- 
bers of  Baptist  churches,  but  the  New  England  Baptists  had 
such  convictions  of  duty  in  their  opposition  to  slavery  that 
they  could  not  refrain  from  giving  expression  to  them  and 
from  uniting  in  efforts  not  only  to  prevent  the  extension  of 
slavery  in  the  Territories,  but  to  secure  its  abohtion  in  the 
slaveholding  States. 

When  at  length  the  Civil  War  opened  the  Baptists  of  New 
England  promptly  placed  themselves  upon  the  Union  side  in 
the  conflict.  The  resolutions  adopted  by  Associations  and 
State  Conventions  during  the  four  battle  years  expressed  an 
unshaken  confidence  in  the  ultimate  triumph  of  the  Union 
arms  and  in  the  final  overthrow  of  slavery.     After  the  war 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    NEW    ENGLAND    STATES  6/ 

the  New  England  Baptist  churches  interested  themselves  in 
a  very  large  degree  in  missionary  and  educational  work  in 
behalf  of  the  freedmen  at  the  South.  The  earliest  workers 
along  these  lines  were  for  the  most  part  from  New  England, 
and  the  results  that  have  been  obtained  in  the  progress  of 
this  work  have  been  due  very  largely  to  the  heroic  and  unself- 
ish labors  of  these  devoted  instructors,  of  whom  some  have 
finished  their  labors  and  some  are  still  at  their  posts. 

The  work  of  Baptist  women  in  connection  with  Baptist 
missionary  operations  commenced  with  the  century.  The 
Boston  Female  Society  for  Missionary  Purposes  was  organ- 
ized in  1800.  In  it  Congregationahsts  and  Baptists  were 
united  in  a  common  service.  The  funds  they  raised  were  at 
first  devoted  to  the  work  of  the  Congregational  Missionary 
Society  ;  but  with  the  organization  of  the  Massachusetts  Do- 
mestic Missionary  Society  for  distinctively  Baptist  work,  it 
was  agreed  that  the  subscription  of  each  member  of  the  so- 
ciety should  be  devoted  to  the  work  of  that  organization  with 
which  she  was  connected.  More  and  more,  very  naturally. 
Baptist  Avomen  began  to  contribute  directly  to  the  work  of  the 
Baptist  society.  Much  of  the  work  of  raising  funds  was 
through  mite  societies.  The  minutes  of  various  Baptist  Asso- 
ciations in  New  England  from  1808  make  mention  of  these 
mite  societies.  That  in  Warren,  R.  I.,  constituted  Septem- 
ber 26,  1808,  contributed  that  year  $55  for  missionary  work. 
A  hke  society  in  Charlestown,  Mass.,  in  1809,  "engaged  to 
pay  one  cent  a  week  for  the  purpose  of  sending  missionaries, 
who  shall  pubhsh  the  doctrines  of  the  cross  in  new  settle- 
ments, and  other  places  w'here  the  name  of  the  Saviour  is 
hardly  known. ' '  The  Female  Benevolent  Society  of  Liver- 
more,  Maine,  where  George  Dana  Boardman  was  born  in 
1801,  contributed  in  1812  $14.08  to  missionary  work.  But 
all  such  contributions  at  first  were  for  work  here  in  the  home- 
land. In  181 1,  the  Boston  P^emale  Society  for  Missionary 
Purposes  gave  all  the  funds  it  raised  that  year  for  the  "  trans- 
lation of  the  Scriptures  carried  on  so  extensively  and  success- 
fully by  the  missionaries  at  Serampore  in  Bengal."  After 
Judson  and  his  wife  entered  upon  their  work  in  Burma,  the 
Baptist  women  of  New  England  commenced  the  raising  of 
funds  to  aid  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work  there,  and  with 
increasing  devotion  they  continued  their  self-denying  labors, 
glad  of  the  opportunity  that  had  so  wonderfully  come  to  them 
in  the  opening  of  this  promising  missionary  field.  Their  in- 
terest was  deepened  as  the  work  extended  to  Assam,  India, 
Siam,  China,  and  Japan.      In  1870,  Mrs.  C.  H.  Carpenter,  of 


68  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    NEW    ENGLAND    STATES 

the  Bassein  mission,  in  Burma,  writing  to  her  sister,  Mrs.  Dr. 
Alvah  Hovey,  of  Newton  Center,  Mass.,  suggested  the  or- 
ganization, by  Baptist  women,  of  women's  missionary  socie- 
ties auxiliary  to  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union. 
This  suggestion  led  to  the  organization  of  such  a  society  in 
the  Baptist  church  at  Newton  Center,  and  not  long  after,  in 
April,  187 1,  the  Woman's  Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  Society 
was  organized  in  Boston.  The  first  missionary  of  the  society 
sailed  from  Boston  December  16,  1871.  It  was  not  a  New 
England  society,  however,  but  was  designed  to  unite  the 
efforts  bf  Baptist  women  in  churches  interested  in  the  work 
of  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  wherever  resident. 

In  1877  the  Women's  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society  was  organized,  with  its  headquarters  in  Boston.  It 
had  in  view  educational  work  in  co-operation  with  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  and  from  the  time  of  its 
organization  it  has  done  a  most  helpful  service  in  furnishing 
teachers  in  connection  with  the  educational  work  of  the  Home 
Mission  Society.  It  has  largely  contributed,  also,  to  the 
erection  of  school  buildings  at  Spelman  Seminary,  Atlanta, 
Ga. ,  in  the  City  of  Mexico,  and  at  Salt  Lake,  has  generously 
aided  in  other  places,  and  supported  many  beneficiaries  in  the 
Home  Mission  Society's  schools.  It  has  also  engaged  in  mis- 
sionary and  educational  work  in  Alaska,  where  it  has  estab- 
lished a  home  for  Alaskan  orphans. 

All  through  the  century  the  educational  work  of  the  Bap- 
tists of  New  England  has  indicated  progress,  but  especially 
has  this  been  true  during  the  last  half  of  the  century.  Dr. 
Wayland,  who  became  president  of  Brown  University,  in 
1827,  introduced  new  features,  especially  in  1849,  making 
provision  for  such  new  courses  of  study  in  the  sciences  as  the 
practical  spirit  of  the  age  demanded,  and  also  for  elective 
studies — features  that  have  since  been  adopted  by  all  the 
principal  educational  institutions  in  the  country.  In  1891 
women  were  admitted  to  college  examinations,  and  in  1892 
a  woman's  college,  as  a  department  of  the  university,  was 
opened,  having  a  building  of  its  own,  known  as  Pembroke 
Hall.  During  the  last  quarter  of  the  century  the  endowment 
of  Brown  University  has  been  considerably  increased,  and  in 
1899  amounted  to  ^1,297,227.59.  In  1899-1900  subscrip- 
tions were  received  amounting  to  $1,095,000,  including  a 
subscription  of  $250,000  from  John  D.  Rockefeller. 

Colby  College  has  had  the  following  presidents  :  Jeremiah 
Chaplin  (1822-1833),  Rufus  Babcock  (1833-1836),  Robert 
E.   Pattison  (1836-1839),  Ehphaz  Fay  (1841-1843),  David 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    NEW    ENGLAND    STATES  69 

N.  Sheldon  (1843-1853),  Robert  E.  Pattison  (1854-1857), 
James  T.  Champlin  (1857-1873),  Henry  E.  Robins  (1873- 
1882),  George  D.  B.  Pepper  (1882-1889),  Albion  W.  Small 
(1889-1892),  Beniah  L.  Whitman  (1892-1895),  and  Na- 
thaniel Butler  (1895).  During  the  presidency  of  Dr.  Cham- 
plin the  funds  and  equipment  of  the  college  Avere  largely  in- 
creased. The  gifts  of  Gardner  Colby  to  the  college,  com- 
mencing with  a  subscription  of  $50,000  in  1864,  and  in- 
cluding the  bequest  in  his  will,  amounted  to  $200,000,  and 
ex-Governor  Abner  Coburn,  who  had  been  a  generous  bene- 
factor to  the  college,  added  by  his  will,  in  1885,  $200,000. 
In  1871  young  women  were  admitted  to  the  college  on  the 
same  terms  as  young  men.  In  1890  the  trustees  organized 
within  the  university  a  college  for  young  men  and  a  co-ordi- 
nate college  for  young  women,  with  conditions  for  entrance 
identical  in  the  two  divisions. 

Newton  Theological  Institution  has  shared  in  the  pros- 
perity that  has  come  to  Brown  and  Colby  during  the  last 
half  of  the  century.  Colby  Hall  was  erected  in  the  last  year 
of  the  Civil  War.  Sturtevant  Hall  and  the  beautiful  Hills 
Library  have  been  added  since,  while  the  old  dormitory, 
Farwell  Hall,  was  entirely  remodeled  in  1898.  A  home  for 
the  president  of  the  institution  was  erected  in  1900.  At  the 
dedication  of  Colby  Hall  it  was  stated  that  the  institution 
was  free  from  debt,  had  eighty  acres  of  land  with  its  build- 
ings, and  a  permanent  endowment  of  $100,000.  At  the 
close  of  the  century  its  permanent  fund,  trust  funds,  and 
other  funds  amount  to  more  than  $500,000.  January  i, 
1899,  a  subscription  of  $100,000  was  completed,  and  almost 
immediately  an  effort  was  commenced  to  secure  an  additional 
endowment  of  $300,000,  toward  which  John  D.  Rockefeller 
offers  to  give  a  dollar  for  every  dollar  that  is  raised  upon  this 
subscription  to  the  amount  of  $150,000.  Dr.  Alvah  Hovey, 
who  had  been  connected  with  the  institution  as  a  member 
of  the  faculty  since  1849,  became  president  of  the  institution 
in  1868,  and  remained  in  this  position  until  1898.  His 
fifty  years  of  service  covers  the  period  of  its  largest  prosper- 
ity, and  its  value  was  fittingly  recognized  by  the  institution 
in  1899.  His  successor  in  the  presidency  is  Dr.  Nathan  E. 
Wood. 

In  the  increasing  prosperity  of  the  higher  Baptist  educa- 
tional institutions  in  New  England  the  academies  have 
shared.  Ex-Governor  Coburn  gave  $50,000  to  Coburn 
Classical  Institute,  Waterville,  for  which  he  had  already  pro- 
vided a  large  and  elegant  building.      Hebron  Academy  has  a 


70  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    NEW    ENGLAND    STATES 

handsome  building,  Sturtevant  Hall,  the  gift  in  1891  of  B.  F. 
Sturtevant,  of  Jamaica  Plain,  Mass.,  and  in  June,  1900,  a 
dormitory  for  girls,  to  be  known  as  Sturtevant  Home,  erected 
at  an  expense  of  about  ^70,000,  was  presented  to  the  academy 
by  Mr.  Sturtevant' s  widow.  Ricker  Classical  Institute,  at 
Houlton,  Me. ,  also  has  a  noble  building  known  as  Wording 
Hall,  in  honor  of  a  generous  benefactor,  while  the  institute 
bears  the  name  of  an  honored  son  of  Maine,  long  connected 
with  the  missionary  and  educational  interests  of  the  denomi- 
nation, who  bestowed  upon  it  Uberal  benefactions.  Rev.  Dr. 
Joseph  Ricker,  of  Augusta.  Higgins  Classical  Institute,  at 
Charleston,  Me.,  is  the  youngest  of  the  Baptist  academies  in 
the  State.  It  bears  the  name  of  its  generous  benefactor  and 
the  chief  promoter  of  its  varied  interests,  Rev.  J.  H.  Hig- 
gins, and,  as  the  century  comes  to  a  close,  preparations  are 
already  in  progress  for  the  erection  of  buildings  which  will 
give  it  needed  facilities  for  its  growing  work. 

In  Colby  Academy,  at  New  London,  N.  H.,  the  Baptists 
of  New  Hampshire  have  an  institution  in  which  their  educa- 
tional interests  center.  Opened  in  1853,  under  the  charter 
of  the  New  London  Academy,  afterward  known  as  the  New 
London  Literary  and  Scientific  Institution  and  in  1878  as 
Colby  Academy,  in  honor  of  the  late  Governor  Anthony 
Colby,  its  history  has  been  a  varied  one,  but  it  enters  upon 
the  new  century  with  an  efficient  corps  of  instructors  and 
brightening  prospects. 

In  the  Vermont  Academy,  at  Saxton's  River,  Vt. ,  the 
Baptists  of  that  State  have  wisely  concentrated  their  educa- 
tional interests.  Incorporated  in  1872,  it  has  a  valuable 
plant,  a  good  endowment,  and  a  well-merited  reputation. 

Worcester  Academy,  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  incorporated  in 
1834,  entered  upon  a  more  prosperous  career  in  i86'9. 
Since  that  time  new  and  elegant  buildings  have  been  added, 
its  endowment  has  been  greatly  increased,  and  it  has  secured 
a  high  position  among  the  schools  of  its  grade  in  the  old 
Bay  State. 

In  Connecticut  the  Baptists  established  at  Suffield  the 
Connecticut  Literary  Institution  in  1833.  Its  building  was 
burned  in  1871,  and  a  new  building  took  its  place.  Its 
facilities  for  educational  work  have  been  increased  from  time 
to  time,  and  so  has  its  endowment. 

But  the  missionary  work  of  the  churches  has  not  been 
neglected  meanwhile.  The  various  State  Conventions  have 
shown  a  growing  interest  in  providing  methods  and  means  to 
meet  the  needs  of  the  fields,  old  and  new.     It  is  a  significant 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    NEW    ENGLAND    STATES  7 1 

fact  that  in   Boston,    long  the   stronghold  of  the   Standing 
Order,  the  Baptists  now  take  the  lead  in  church-membership. 

The  Boston  Baptist  Social  Union  was  organized  in  1864,  to 
promote  good  fellowship  among  the  members  of  the  Baptist 
churches  in  and  around  Boston,  and  especially  to  interest 
them  in  various  denominational  enterprises,  such  as  aiding 
weak  churches  and  establishing  new  churches.  In  connec- 
tion with  its  work  an  increasing  interest  in  city  missions  has 
been  developed,  and  the  present  prosperity  of  the  denomi- 
nation in  Boston  is  due,  in  a  measure  at  least,  to  the  help 
received  from  this  organization  of  Baptist  laymen,  and  one 
of  its  members,  the  late  Daniel  Sharp  Ford,  by  his  liberal 
benefactions  has  furnished  it  with  greatly  added  resources 
with  which  to  prosecute  its  helpful  work  in  the  new  century. 

The  same  generous  benefactor  has  made  large  provision 
for  aiding  in  the  work  of  the  Baptist  Conventions  of  Maine, 
New  Hampshire,  and  Vermont.  In  these  States  the  Baptists 
find  it  more  and  more  difficult  to  increase  their  membership 
on  account  of  a  diminishing  native  population.  From  the 
rural  communities,  remote  from  the  fines  of  railroad,  there 
has  been  a  steady  emigration  during  the  past  fifty  years,  and 
churches  once  strong  in  these  communities  have  become 
weak.  But  many  of  the  men  and  women  who  have  left 
their  old  homes  in  the  country  have  not  left  New  England, 
and  are  still  active  in  its  Baptist  churches  in  more  prosperous 
communities,  so  that  Baptist  growth  in  New  England  has 
been  maintained  throughout  the  century.  As  a  whole,  the 
Baptist  churches  of  New  England  were  never  better  equipped 
for  successful  service  than  at  the  present  time.  The  mem- 
bership of  the  New  England  Baptist  churches  by  States,  as 
furnished  by  the  minutes  for  1899,  is  as  follows  :  Maine,  249 
churches,  20,051  members;  New  Hampshire,  84  churches, 
9,719  members;  Vermont,  96  churches,  8,520  members; 
Massachusetts,  338  churches,  70,862  members  ;  Rhode 
Island,  77  churches,  13,774  members;  Connecticut,  141 
churches,  25,147  members;  total,  985  churches,  148,073 
members. 

Henry  S.  Burrage. 


VI 

BAPTISTS  OF  THE  MIDDLE  STATES 


Traces  of  Baptists  in  the  Middle  States  are  first  met  in 
the  year  1656,  in  the  colony  of  New  Amsterdam,  near  the 
present  town  of  Flushing,  L.  I.  There  were  at  that  time 
but  three  Baptist  churches  in  the  Colonies,  two  in  Providence 
and  one  in  Newport.  The  second  Providence  church  had 
been  formed  but  four  years  before,  because  of  a  schism  in 
the  first  church  estabhshed,  growing  out  of  the  laying  on  of 
hands  and  other  disputed  matters.  The  new  church  was  the 
more  vigorous  of  the  two  and  active  in  propagating  its  notions, 
and  one  of  its  elders,  William  Wickenden,  a  cobbler  by  trade, 
•preached  the  gospel  on  Long  Island  and  baptized  several 
converts.  He  was  arrested,  imprisoned,  fined,  and  ban- 
ished. There  is  no  record  of  a  church,  and  these  summary 
measures  seem  to  have  been  successful  in  preventing  further 
progress  of  Baptist  principles  during  the  Dutch  domination. 

In  1684,  Thomas  Dungan,  a  Baptist  from  Ireland,  gath- 
ered a  small  church  at  Cold  Spring,  Pa.,  but  it  was  a  short- 
lived body.  The  real  history  of  Baptists  in  the  Middle  States 
begins  with  the  formation  in  1688  of  a  church  at  Pennepeck, 
or  Lower  Dublin,  now  incorporated  in  the  city  of  Philadel- 
phia. Its  constituent  members  were  English  and  Welsh 
Baptists  of  the  Calvinistic  order,  and  the  other  churches  that 
soon  sprang  up  in  the  same  region  were  of  hke  faith.  The 
same  year  saw  the  formation  of  the  church  at  Middletown, 
N.  J.,  and  the  year  following  the  Piscataway.  During  the 
first  half  of  the  eighteenth  century  growth  was  quite  rapid, 
and  by  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution  there  were  twelve 
Baptist  churches  in  Pennsylvania  (eight  of  which  were  in  the 
Philadelphia  region  and  four  in  the  Pittsburg),  and  fifteen  in 
New  Jersey. 

The  first  church  to  be  established  in  the  Colony  of  New 
York  after  the  British  conquest  was  in  New  York  City  about 
1 71 2.  A  congregation  was  gathered  in  the  house  of  Nicholas 
Eyers,  a  well-to-do  brewer,  of  which  he  finally  became  the 
minister.  This  church  disbanded  about  1732.  A  church 
was  formed  at  Oyster  Bay,  L.  I.,  possibly  as  early  as  1700, 
72 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    MIDDLE    STATES  73 

but  certainly  no  later  than  1724,  and  is  still  in  existence. 
The  present  First  Baptist  Church  of  New  York  dates  from 
1745,  when  a  small  congregation  began  to  meet  in  the  house 
of  Jeremiah  Dodge,  a  shipbuilder,  but  it  did  not  become  an 
independent  body  until  1762.  It  was  greatly  scattered  and 
weakened  by  the  Revolution,  but  survived  that  struggle, 
and  afterward  grew  and  became  the  mother  of  many  other 
churches. 

The  process  of  Western  migration  and  settlement  that  set 
in  at  once  after  the  Revolution  contributed  greatly  to  the 
growth  of  Baptists  in  these  States.  We  find  it  hard  to  realize 
that  Buffalo  and  Pittsburg  were  then  regarded  as  "the  far 
West,"  and  that  nearly  all  the  region  between  these  cities 
and  New  York  and  Philadelphia  was  a  wilderness  that  the 
feet  of  few  white  men  had  ever  trod.  But  so  it  was,  and 
now  the  filling  up  of  this  region  with  hardy  pioneers  and 
immigrants  began.  In  this  new  population  were  some  Bap- 
tists, and  a  few  pioneer  preachers  of  our  faith  made  their 
way  into  the  new  settlements,  and  from  such  feeble  and 
unpromising  beginnings  sprang  the  first  Baptist  churches  in 
the  interior  of  these  great  States.  But  the  missionary  spirit 
was  strong  among  them  from  the  first,  and,  if  the  beginnings 
were  small,  the  growth  was  rapid. 

Before  this  westward  advance  had  begun  a  characteristic 
feature  of  our  denomination  had  become  well  established, 
the  union  of  the  churches  in  Associations.  This  institution 
begins  with  the  year  1707,  when  the  churches  in  the  Phila- 
delphia region,  which  had  before  that  time  held  "yearly 
meetings,"  such  as  still  prevail  among  the  Friends,  changed 
these  general  assemblies  into  a  body  of  delegates  duly  ap- 
pointed by  the  several  churches.  After  1800  the  increase 
of  these  Associations  was  notable,  and  the  early  minutes  of 
these  bodies  disclose  the  secret  of  the  rapid  growth  of  Bap- 
tists. They  were  missionary  societies  in  fact,  though  not  in 
name,  existing  chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  encouraging  the 
weaker  churches  and  the  establishing  of  new  churches  in 
promising  localities.  Many  of  these  Associations  engaged  in 
missionary  labors  far  beyond  the  bounds  of  their  own  terri- 
tory. 

This  work  made  manifest  the  need  of  a  distinctively  mis- 
sionary organization  of  a  more  general  nature,  and  the  first 
effort  to  meet  this  demand  was  the  formation  of  the  Lake 
Missionary  Society  in  1807.  The  name  was  soon  changed 
to  the  Hamilton  Missionary  Soci^y,  and  the  Baptist  churches 
of  central  New  York  supported  it  with  praiseworthy  liberality. 


74  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    MIDDLE    STATES 

But  it  was  soon  felt  that  a  society  which  would  unite  all  the 
churches  of  the  State  in  this  work  was  desirable,  and  the 
Baptist  State  Convention  was  accordingly  organized  in  182 1. 
The  two  bodies  were  united  in  1825  under  the  name  of  the 
latter,  and  this  Convention  has  ever  since  been  an  active 
agent  in  the  propagation  of  the  gospel  as  understood  and 
practised  by  Baptists.  In  1827  the  Baptists  of  Pennsylvania 
formed  their  State  Convention,  and  the  New  Jersey  Conven- 
tion followed  in  1830. 

To  the  work  of  these  bodies  is  largely  due  the  progress  of 
Baptists  in  these  three  States.  A  very  large  proportion  of 
the  churches  owe  their  very  existence  to  the  fostering  care 
of  these  Conventions.  This  is  not  only  true  of  those  churches 
that  are  located  in  sparsely  settled  communities  or  in  villages 
once  flourishing  but  now  in  decline,  it  is  quite  as  true  of 
churches  in  thriving  towns  that  are  now  strong  and  able  to 
help  others  because  in  other  days  they  received  help.  The 
best  years  of  the  New  York  Convention  have  been  since 
1874,  when  it  was  reorganized  under  the  presidency  of  Ed- 
ward Bright,  D.  D.  Both  during  his  service  of  ten  years,  and 
under  the  later  administration  of  Dr.  J.  B.  Calvert,  there  has 
been  a  constant  growth  of  power  and  usefulness.  In  Pennsyl- 
vania, during  the  first  half-century  of  labor,  ending  in  1877, 
233  of  the  561  churches  were  brought  into  existence  and 
maintained  by  the  Convention.  In  consequence  of  these 
missionary  labors,  the  increase  of  Baptists  in  all  three  States 
has  been  considerably  in  advance  of  the  growth  of  population 
during  a  large  part  of  our  denominational  history. 

It  is  the  special  praise  of  the  Baptists  of  the  Middle  States 
that  they  were  the  pioneers  in  the  work  of  education  among 
us.  The  first  college  established  under  Baptist  auspices  is 
due  to  the  intelligent  interest  in  education  taken  by  the 
Philadelphia  Association  from  the  beginning  of  its  history. 
For  many  years  such  an  institution  was  projected,  but  it 
was  finally  decided  to  ask  for  a  charter  in  Rhode  Island,  that 
being  the  only  Colony  where  Baptists  were  likely  to  receive 
such  a  favor.  Thus  Brown  University  came  to  be,  in  1764. 
But  this  was  a  college  purely,  and  the  need  of  an  institution 
for  the  training  of  ministers  was  felt.  An  Education  Society 
was  accordingly  formed  in  181 2,  and  after  maintaining  a 
private  school  for  some  years,  this  resulted  in  the  founding 
of  Columbian  University,  the  charter  being  obtained  in  1821. 
In  the  meantime,  another  Education  Society  had  been  formed 
by  Baptists  in  central  New  York,  which  brought  about  the 
estabhshment  of  the  Hamilton  Literary  and  Theological  In- 


BAPTISTS    OF   THE    MIDDLE   STATES  75 

stitution,  in  1S20.  Until  1839  this  was  restricted  to  the 
training  of  ministers,  but  then  young  men  were  admitted  to 
study  for  other  caUings.  The  hterary  department  was  char- 
tered as  Madison  University  in  1846,  and  the  name  was 
changed  to  Colgate  University  in  1889. 

A  proposal  to  move  this  institution  from  Hamilton,  a  rural 
community,  to  the  thriving  city  of  Rochester,  was  made  in 
1847,  and  for  a  time  the  project  seemed  likely  to  be  success- 
ful. Objections  arose,  however,  and  the  courts  finally  pro- 
nounced the  intended  removal  illegal.  Two  new  institutions 
were  estabhshed  at  Rochester  in  the  year  1850,  as  a  result  of 
this  failure,  the  University  of  Rochester  and  the  Rochester 
Theological  Seminary. 

Not  only  were  the  first  Baptist  college  and  the  first  Baptist 
theological  seminary  founded  through  the  labors  of  Baptists 
of  the  Middle  States,  but  the  first  college  for  the  education 
of  women.  By  gift  of  Matthew  Vassar,  in  September,  1865, 
Vassar  College  began  its  work  of  instruction,  with  what  was 
then  an  ample  endowment,  increased  in  later  years  to  a  sum 
of  which  none  then  dreamed.  Two  years  later  the  Crozer 
Theological  Seminary  was  founded,  beginning  its  career  with 
$275,000,  the  largest  endowment  up  to  that  time  possessed 
by  a  Baptist  theological  institution. 

Nine  schools  of  academic  grade  have  also  been  established 
by  the  Baptists  of  the  Middle  States.  Five  of  these  are  in 
Pennsylvania,  including  the  oldest  of  them  all,  Bucknell 
Academy,  established  in  1846.  The  others  are  :  the  Bucknell 
Institute,  an  academy  for  young  women  exclusively  (1854)  ; 
Keystone  Academy,  at  Factoryville  (1868)  ;  Hall  Institute, 
at  Sharon  (1888),  and  the  Western  Pennsylvania  Institute, 
at  Mt.  Pleasant  (187 1).  New  York  has  three  such  schools  : 
Cook  Academy,  at  Montour  Falls  (1872)  ;  Colgate  Academy, 
founded  in  connection  with  the  university  of  the  same  name 
in  1873,  and  the  Marion  Institute,  the  oldest  of  all  (1855), 
but  for  many  years  a  private  school  and  only  recently  coming 
under  full  denominational  control.  New  Jersey  has  two 
academies,  the  Peddie  Institute,  at  Hightstown  (1867),  and 
the  South  Jersey  Institute,  at  Bridgeton  (1869).  These 
schools  are  sufficient  in  number,  though  none  too  many, 
but  they  are  very  inadequately  endowed.  The  income- 
producing  funds  of  all  combined  do  not  equal  the  funds 
of  the  worst  endowed  college  in  the  same  region. 

Insufficient  as  is  the  material  provision  for  education  yet 
made  by  the  Baptists  of  the  Middle  States,  the  aggregate  en- 
dowments of  the  institutions  named  reach  the  sum  of  $5, 162,- 


76  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    MIDDLE    STATES 

ooo,  while  the  fair  vakiation  of  property  and  apparatus  also 
possessed  by  them  is  ^4,400,000.  This  is  the  work  of  two 
generations,  and  so  considered  is  far  from  discreditable. 
There  are  now  about  2,200  students  annually  pursuing 
studies  in  these  schools. 

In  all  forms  of  Christian  work — such  as  Sunday-schools, 
young  people's  societies,  women's  work  in  missions — the 
Baptists  of  these  States  have  been,  if  not  the  first  to  under- 
take them,  second  to  none  in  the  vigor  and  enterprise  of 
their  participation.  The  churches  of  these  States  are  also 
identified  in  a  peculiar  way  with  many  of  the  events  and  in- 
stitutions of  capital  importance  in  our  denominational  history. 
The  first  of  our  missionary  organizations,  the  body  commonly 
known  as  the  Triennial  Convention,  was  constituted  in  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Philadelphia,  in  May,  181 4,  and  it 
was  dissolved  in  May,  1846,  in  the  Pierrepont  Street  Church 
of  Brooklyn,  where  also  the  first  meeting  of  its  successor, 
the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  was  held.  The 
Home  Mission  Society  was  formed  in  New  York,  in  1832, 
at  a  convention  held  in  the  Baptist  Tabernacle,  in  Mulberry 
Street,  and  its  headquarters  have  always  been  in  that  city. 
In  April,  1837,  a  remarkable  Convention,  held  in  Philadel- 
phia, resulted  in  the  establishment  of  the  American  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  ;  and  three  years  later  the  American  ' 
Bible  Union  was  organized  in  New  York.  In  addition  to 
this  series  of  denominational  societies  formed  in  connection 
with  the  Middle  State  churches,  might  very  properly  be 
named  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  ;  for,  though 
originally  formed  in  Washington,  it  was  almost  immediately 
removed  to  Philadelphia,  where  it  has  had  its  headquarters 
until  this  day.  Nor  should  mention  be  omitted  of  the  Bible 
Convention  of  1883,  at  Saratoga,  which  composed  the  de- 
nominational strifes  of  two  generations,  and  unified  our  Bible 
work. 

In  tracing  the  relative  progress  made  by  Baptists  in  these 
States,  the  chief  difficulty  is  lack  of  trustworthy  early  statistics. 
As  nearly  as  may  be  estimated,  in  1800  Baptists  were  about 
one  in  eighty-three  of  the  population.  From  1820  to  1850, 
their  increase  was  very  remarkable,  especially  in  the  two 
decades  following  1820,  and  at  the  middle  of  the  century 
they  were  one  in  forty-six  of  the  population.  This  increase 
was  due  in  part  to  rapid  immigration,  both  from  Europe  and 
from  the  Eastern  States,  and  in  still  larger  part  must  be 
ascribed  to  widespread  and  repeated  revivals  in  nearly  every 
community,  promoted  by  the  preaching  of  itinerant  "  evan- 


BAPTISTS    OF   THE    MIDDLE    STATES  TJ 

gelists."  These  revivals  were  not  peculiar  to  any  denomi- 
nation, but  characteristic  of  American  religious  life  during 
this  period.  No  denomination  profited  more  numerically 
than  our  own,  and  none  attained  such  rapid  growth  in  the 
face  of  greater  obstacles. 

To  begin  with,  the  principles  advocated  by  Baptists  seemed 
to  other  denominations  to  be  especially  hostile  to  their  teach- 
ing and  practice,  and  consequently  great  opposition  to  Bap- 
tists developed  in  almost  every  community.  If  they  were 
permitted  to  unite  with  other  Christians  in  enterprises  of 
common  interest,  they  were  almost  always  denied  equal 
rights  in  them,  and  hence  were  often  compelled  to  do  their 
own  work  in  their  own  way  and  hold  themselves  aloof  from 
those  with  whom  they  would  have  been  glad  to  labor  on 
more  just  terms.  This  is  a  disadvantage  that  in  these  later 
years  Baptists  have  measurably  outgrown  ;  their  increase  in 
numbers,  in  wealth,  in  intelligence,  has  made  them  not  only 
respectable  but  respected. 

Again,  our  churches  suffered  during  this  period  from  severe 
internal  dissensions,  which  more  than  once  threatened  to  rend 
the  denomination  in  twain,  and  once  did  accomplish  that 
result.  Some  of  these  causes  of  dissension  were  common  to 
all  portions  of  the  denomination  ;  some  were  peculiar  to 
the  Baptists  of  these  States.  Among  the  former  may  be 
named  the  agitation  against  slavery,  which  caused  great 
diversity  of  sentiment  as  to  measures  and  methods,  though 
there  was  practically  but  one  attitude  toward  slavery  itself 
Among  the  latter  were  such  agitations  as  the  Millerite  and 
Anti-Masonic  movements,  which  deserve  more  extended 
mention. 

William  Miller  was  a  member  of  a  Baptist  church  in  northern 
New  York,  and  from  1831  onward  his  teachings  regarding  the 
impending  coming  of  Christ  and  the  end  of  the  present  world 
began  to  attract  great  attention  among  Christians  generally, 
but  especially  in  the  Baptist  churches.  Eventually  thousands 
of  Baptists,  and  some  entire  churches  were  drawn  into  this 
current,  which  bore  them  farther  and  farther  away  from  their 
faith,  and  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  the  Second  Advent 
body.  Even  when  there  was  no  formal  separation  from  our 
fellowship,  many  churches  and  individuals  received  irrepara- 
ble harm  from  Miller's  vagaries,  and  growth  was  greatly  re- 
tarded in  the  regions  where  his  influence  was  most  extensive. 

The  Anti-Masonic  agitation  was  political  in  essence,  but 
the  strong  feeling  against  that  order  invaded  the  churches, 
and  finally  in  the  majority  of  Baptist  churches  fellowship  was 


y8  BAPTISTS    OF   THE    MIDDLE    STATES 

refused  to  all  who  would  not  separate  themselves  from  all 
secret  societies.  A  considerable  number  of  churches  in 
these  States,  from  about  1835,  also  began  to  oppose  Sunday- 
schools,  foreign  missions,  and  other  activities  of  the  denomi- 
nation, on  the  ground  that  all  organizations  for  these  pur- 
poses were  unauthorized  human  inventions,  and  as  such 
contrary  to  the  Scriptures.  Under  the  name  of  Primitive  or 
Old  School  Baptists,  some  few  churches  of  this  order  still 
remain  in  the  Middle  States,  and  farther  South  they  are  quite 
numerous. 

From  1850  to  1900  Baptists  have  failed  to  maintain  their 
rapid  growth  not  only,  but  have  even  fallen  slightly  behind 
the  increase  of  the  population,  being  now  not  quite  one  in 
forty-eight.  The  declension  is  greatest  in  New  York.  An 
analysis  of  the  statistics  discloses  the  fact  that  when  we  set 
over  against  the  baptisms  during  this  period  the  losses  by 
deaths  and  exclusions,  there  were  at  least  100,000  members 
dismissed  to  churches  of  other  States.  This  was  the  time 
when  immigration  to  the  central  Western  States  was  most  ac- 
tive, and  the  relative  decrease  of  the  churches  is  thus  accounted 
for.  They  really  grew  much  faster  than  the  population,  but 
of  their  increase  they  gave  generously  to  build  up  churches 
elsewhere.  The  same  is  true,  in  a  less  degree,  of  Pennsyl- 
vania and  New  Jersey  churches — a  statement  of  their  ap- 
parent growth  does  them  serious  injustice. 

There  has  been,  however,  a  steady  increase  in  the  strength 
of  the  churches  in  all  three  States.  In  1850  the  average  Bap- 
tist church  in  New  York  had  105  members,  in  Pennsylvania 
ninety,  in  New  Jersey,  133.  In  1900  the  numbers  had  risen  to 
162  in  New  York,  148  in  Pennsylvania,  and  167  in  New  Jersey. 
Careful  analysis  of  the  tables  reported  in  the  minutes  of  the 
State  Conventions  proves  that  this  increase  in  membership  is 
not  due  to  the  rise  of  a  few  great  metropohtan  churches,  but 
to  growth  in  cities  of  the  second  class  and  in  thriving  villages. 
The  purely  rural  churches  have  suffered  severely  during  the 
last  half-century,  but  there  is  reason  to  hope  that  better 
times  are  at  hand  for  them.  From  1850  to  1880  there  was 
a  general  and  ominous  concentration  of  population  in  the 
cities.  The  figures  of  the  last  census  show  that  this  tendency 
has  been  checked.  The  general  introduction  of  the  trolley- 
car  and  the  improvement  of  the  highway,  have  made  country 
life  more  tolerable,  and  the  rich  are  more  and  more  making 
their  country  houses  their  chief  place  of  residence,  spending 
only  the  few  winter  months  in  their  city  houses.  The 
churches  sympathize  with  these  general  movements  of  popu- 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    MIDDLE    STATES  79 

lation,  and  with  the  rehabilitation  of  the  country  as  a  place 
of  residence  for  the  well-to-do  we  may  look  for  the  rehabili- 
tation of  the  country  churches. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  twentieth  century,  New  York 
Baptists  reported  943  churches,  and  152,776  members; 
in  Pennsylvania  there  were  743  churches,  with  110,292 
members;  and  in  New  Jersey,  317  churches  and  53,172 
members.  These  churches  possess  property  valued  at  over 
;?25,ooo,ooo  and  their  contributions  in  1900  for  all  objects 
were  litde  short  of  $4,000,000.  Some  of  the  peculiar  causes 
that  have  hmited  the  growth  of  Baptists  in  these  States  dur- 
ing the  last  fifty  years  are  hkely  not  to  affect  them  so  seriously 
as  heretofore.  The  immigration  from  Catholic  countries  is 
lessening,  this  population  now  tending  to  settle  elsewhere. 
The  emigration  to  Western  States  of  our  own  best  people  has 
markedly  fallen  off.  These  facts  do  not  warrant  a  prediction, 
perhaps,  of  immediate  increase  in  our  denominational  growth, 
but  they  encourage  a  hope  that  with  the  removal  of  serious 
obstacles  progress  may  become  more  rapid. 

Henry  C.  Vedder. 


VII 

BAPTISTS  OF  THE  SOUTHERN  STATES 


In  order  to  trace  with  proper  appreciation  the  phenomenal 
growth  of  the  denomination  in  the  Southern  States  during 
the  century,  let  us  glance  at  the  prevailing  conditions  which 
existed  at  its  beginning.  The  people  had  about  recovered 
from  the  disintegration  and  demoralization  which  resulted 
from  the  Revolution.  A  new  generation  had  practically 
come  upon  the  scene  of  action  to  avail  itself  of  the  new  order 
of  things.  Meeting-houses,  which  had  been  dismantled  or 
totally  destroyed  prior  to  the  Revolution,  were  now  rebuilt, 
congregations  were  once  more  gathered,  and  new  territory 
was  penetrated  by  the  Baptist  missionary. 

I.    SERIOUS    BARRIERS. 

There  were,  however,  serious  barriers  to  be  encountered. 
Baptist  churches  were  widely  scattered  ;  roads  and  bridges 
were  few,  and  methods  of  travel  meagre  ;  implements  of  in- 
dustry were  hardly  to  be  had  ;  books  were  scant  and  food 
and  clothing  were  the  simplest  and  coarsest.  At  that  time 
too.  Baptists  were  comparatively  a  feeble  folk.  Scarcely 
70,000  members  belonged  to  the  Baptist  churches  of  the 
South.  Almost  one-half  of  these  were  massed  in  Virginia — a 
result  of  the  fierce  persecution  to  which  they  had  been  sub- 
jected by  the  Estabhshment.  These  70,000  communicants 
met  in  550  churches.  The  membership  of  some  of  these  was 
exceedingly  small,  and  almost  all  were  served  by  an  illiterate, 
though  consecrated,  ministry.  The  impulse  derived  from 
unrestricted  freedom,  however,  animated  and  stimulated  them 
at  every  step.  Devotional  meetings  were  held,  whenever 
possible,  during  the  week.  The  primitive  forests  about  a 
new  settlement  rang  with  stentorian  melody,  interspersed 
with  prayer,  equally  stentorian,  when  the  labor  of  the  day 
was  done,  and  the  rudely  dressed  settlers,  with  their  oblong 
"notebooks,"  encircled  a  blazing  fire.  ConventionaUty  in 
worship  was  undreamed  of  by  these  worshipers  in  the  early 
days  of  the  century.  Natural  impulse  was  obeyed,  no  matter 
whether  it  actuated  to  prayer,  to  exhortation,  or  to  song. 
80 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES  8 1 

In  cool  disregard  of  the  dangers  which  threatened  them, 
these  primitive  preachers  evangelized  the  widely  scattered 
settlers,  built  churches,  and  thus  laid  the  foundation  of  a 
great  body  of  Christians.  Nor  was  this  all.  With  unflinch- 
ing courage  these  same  rugged  preachers  proclaimed,  with  no 
uncertain  sound,  the  distinctive  principles,  dear  to  Baptists, 
at  a  time  and  under  conditions  when  an  effeminate  conserva- 
tism would  have  suggested  a  milder  policy  as  a  means  of  suc- 
cess. 

Nor  was  the  power  of  the  influence  of  these  early  preachers 
restricted  to  their  sacred  ministrations.  In  the  common 
walks  of  life  they  were  equally  potent.  They  had  so  won,  by 
their  zeal  and  consecration,  the  confidence  of  communities 
that  they  were  frequently  chosen  to  adjudicate  causes  between 
man  and  man.  Differences  of  divers  kinds  w^ere  deferred 
until  the  man  of  God  should  again  visit  a  community  ;  and 
when  the  cause  was  appealed  to  him  and  he  quietly  and  dis- 
passionately rendered  his  decision,  it  was  usually  taken  as 
final.  A  day  of  arduous  toil  in  the  field  would  be  followed 
by  hours  of  earnest  study  of  the  plain  and  well-thumbed  Eng- 
lish Bible  by  the  pine-knot  fire,  for  the  services  of  the  ap- 
proaching Sunday.  Thoroughly  identified  with  every  crude 
interest  in  these  early  communities,  these  earnest  preachers 
came  to  be  bound,  by  ties  of  comity  and  in  relations  the 
most  intimate,  to  these  primitive  settlers. 

Leaving  their  rude  fields  sufficiently  early  in  the  week  to 
trudge  on  foot,  sometimes  the  distance  of  forty  miles,  to  fill 
an  appointment  to  preach,  these  indefatigable  missionaries 
not  infrequently  followed  the  Indian  trails  which  threaded  the 
forests,  climbing  hills  and  crossing  bridgeless  streams,  and  at 
the  appointed  time  would  appear  upon  the  scene  to  preach 
the  gospel.  Sometimes,  when  the  streams  were  swollen, 
they  would  strip,  hold  their  wearing  apparel  aloft,  boldly 
plunge  in,  and  swim  to  the  opposite  side. 

Such  was  the  character  of  the  indomitable  Baptist  preacher 
in  the  early  years  of  the  century,  such,  the  people  of  that 
time,  such,  the  prevaiHng  conditions. 

II.    THE    FIRST   STAGE    OF    DEVELOPMENT. 

The  first  steps  taken  by  Southern  Baptists  were  evangelis- 
tic. This  had  been  true  prior  to  the  Revolution.  There 
was  practically  a  cessation  of  missionary  effort  during  the 
turbulent  years  of  the  war,  but  that  effort  was  resumed  as 
soon  after  the  struggle  as  the  condition  of  the  country  would 
allow.     The  energies  of  the  Baptists  were  bent  in  the  direc- 

F 


82  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES 

tion  of  evangelism.  To  convert  the  masses  was  the  one  con- 
suming desire  of  the  early  Baptist  preacher.  As  a  result  of 
this  universal  sentiment  and  this  singleness  of 'effort,  Baptist 
churches  multiplied  with  great  rapidity  throughout  the  rural 
regions,  and  as  soon  as  centers  of  population  began  to  be 
formed  churches  were  planted  in  them  also.  It  is  true  that 
a  few  churches  existed  in  certain  strong  centers,  but  these 
were  exceedingly  few. 

The  gradual  material  development  of  the  country,  and  the 
steady  enrichment  of  the  people  in  a  region  of  equable  cli- 
mate and  fertile  soil,  suggested  the  importance  of  the  crea- 
tion of  new  schools  of  learning.  These  primitive  schools 
partook  of  the  rudeness  of  the  times,  but  they  served  to  meet 
existing  demands.  The  gradual  development  of  the  masses 
necessarily  called  for  the  scholastic  improvement  of  the  min- 
istry. In  these  movements  the  leading  spirits  of  the  minis- 
try led,  among  whom  may  be  named  Henry  Holcombe,  John 
M.  Roberts,  and  Richard  Furman.  Various  means  were  em- 
ployed for  the  accomplishment  of  the  end  desired.  At  first 
books  were  bought  by  a  common  fund,  raised  for  that  pur- 
pose, kept  at  a  given  place  and  loaned  as  occasion  required. 
This  was  followed  by  voluntary  instruction  given  by  those 
capable  of  teaching.  Then  followed  efforts  to  establish 
schools  for  those  seeking  a  better  equipment  for  the  sacred 
work.  But  these  efforts,  for  different  and  obvious  reasons, 
failed.  The  chief  difficulty  was  that  none  of  these  means 
could  reach  more  than  a  fractional  portion  of  the  ministry. 
Another  arose  from  the  inability  of  men,  many  of  whom 
had  reached  maturity  and  even  middle  Hfe,  to  undertake 
systematic  mental  work.  In  the  midst  of  so  much  diversity 
no  uniform  system  could  be  established.  Another  difficulty, 
still,  grew  out  of  a  downright  opposition  on  the  part  of  many 
well-meaning,  but  prejudiced  preachers,  to  any  plan  at  all. 
In  the  hands  of  such  a  class,  and  it  embraced  a  large  major- 
ity, this  fruitful  suggestion  of  improvement  became  a  cudgel 
to  be  used  against  pious  and  progressive  leaders.  Them- 
selves illiterate,  these  preachers,  in  their  opposition  found 
ready  support  of  their  views  in  the  large  uncultured  classes 
which  had  been  brought  into  the  churches.  But  the  strug- 
ghng,  incipient  efforts,  though  undergoing  a  number  of  mod- 
ifications, were  eventually  developed  into  the  strong  Baptist 
schools  of  learning  now  existing  in  the  States  of  the  South. 

The  opening  period  of  the  century  was  distinguished  by 
extraordinary  religious  revivals.  A  tide  of  revivahsm  again 
and  again   swept  the  country  over.      The  most  notable  of 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES  83 

these  revivals  was  that  in  which  Rev.  James  McGready,  a 
Scotch-Irish  Presbyterian  preacher,  was  a  conspicuous  leader. 
It  spread  from  North  Carolina  into  the  adjacent  States,  and 
even  beyond.  Under  the  impassioned  appeals  of  preaching, 
multitudes  were  brought  into  the  Baptist  churches  of  the 
South.  Conversion  was  the  be-all  and  end-all  alike  of 
preachers  and  churches.  Subsequent  improvement  in  social 
organization  in  the  South  in  time  suggested  the  importance 
of  shaping  this  incoherent  mass  into  more  compact  organiza- 
tion. Undaunted  by  grave  difficulties,  leaders  like  Furman 
and  Pelot,  of  South  Carohna,  and  Holcombe  and  Mercer, 
of  Georgia,  were  resolved  upon  the  accomphshment  of  two 
ends,  viz  :  a  better  equipped  ministry  and  a  more  thorough 
and  efficient  organization  of  the  churches.  In  order  to  ac- 
comphsh  these  ends  these  leaders  found  it  necessary  to  lay 
under  tribute  the  agency  of  education. 

III.     THE    SECOND    STAGE    OF    DEVELOPMENT. 

The  Baptists  of  the  South  sought  to  have  scholastic  train- 
ing and  church  development  mutually  aid  and  supplement 
each  other.  Indeed  it  is  not  easy  to  separate  these  co- 
operative ideas  when  we  consider  the  compass  of  denomina- 
tional education.  Church  and  school  act  and  react  upon 
each  other.  A  ministry  trained  in  a  church  school  neces- 
sarily affects  the  denominational  body  ;  a  denomination  sup- 
porting a  school  of  its  ow-n  necessarily  gives  to  it  tone  and 
complexion. 

The  germs  of  all  the  Baptist  denominational  schools  in  the 
South  are  found  in  the  efforts  to  give  increased  efficiency  to 
the  ministry.  Thus  theology  and  secular  education  gradually 
became  wedded  in  the  evolution  of  Baptist  schools.  The 
study  of  the  process  of  the  evolution  of  Baptist  institutions 
of  learning  in  the  South  is  a  most  interesting  one.  Begin- 
ning in  the  effort  to  meet  the  deficiency  of  the  ministry  by 
the  supply  of  appropriate  books,  this  was  followed  by  a  fund 
with  which  to  enable  the  younger  candidates  for  the  sacred 
work  to  take  a  scholastic  course.  This,  in  turn,  gave  place 
to  an  attempt  to  organize  manual  labor  schools,  in  which 
young  ministers  could  combine  study  with  physical  labor 
in  such  a  way  as  to  be  able  to  pay  as  they  should  go.  This 
gave  place,  in  the  development,  to  denominational  schools 
of  broader  compass,  in  which  secular  instruction  could  become 
so  annexed  to  theological  education  as  to  train  the  laity  along- 
side of  the  ministry.  Another  change  took  place  when  the 
secular  side  of  the  institutions  came  to  overshadow  the  theo- 


84  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES 

logical,  SO  that  theology  became  a  department  of  the  institu- 
tion under  a  special  professor.  The  whole  plan  finally  de- 
veloped into  a  total  severance  of  the  two  departments,  by 
the  creation  of  a  theological  seminary  and  a  completer  equip- 
ment of  the  denominational  colleges  for  purely  literary  and 
scientific  study.  This  required  the  labor  of  many  years,  in- 
volving stupendous  sacrifice  and  the  wisest  management. 

Each  succeeding  stage  was  an  experiment  which  was  no 
sooner  shown  to  be  impracticable  than  it  was  abandoned  and 
something  else  adopted  in  its  stead.  Before  the  present  con- 
summation was  reached  full  fifty  years  had  gone  by. 

IV.     THE    THIRD    STAGE    OF    DEVELOPMENT. 

The  third  stage  was  that  of  a  more  compact  organization 
of  the  Baptist  forces  of  the  South.  Allusion  has  already 
been  made  to  the  opposition  encountered  in  this  under- 
taking. This  organization  involved  two  stages,  that  of  the 
District  Associations  and  that  of  the  organization  of  State 
Conventions.  As  serious  opposition  was  encountered  in  the 
one  as  in  the  other.  Indeed,  it  seems  a  principle  with  Bap- 
tists never  to  act  with  precipitation  in  the  adoption  of  any 
new  method.  They  have  been  reluctant  to  quit  the  beaten 
paths  of  tlieir  ancestors.  Before  the  advent  of  the  potent 
press  the  Baptists  of  the  South  were  dependent,  as  a  means 
of  intercommunication,  upon  what  was  called  "The  Circular 
Letter,"  a  kind  of  denominational  paper  read  upon  some 
important  topic  before  each  district  Association  as  it  would 
annually  assemble.  The  most  intelligent  and  progressive 
spirits  being  appointed  to  prepare  such  papers,  they  availed 
themselves  to  the  fullest  of  the  opportunities  afforded  for 
urging  from  time  to  time  contemplated  measures  of  progress. 
Immense  patience,  intense  labor,  sage  wisdom,  and  earnest 
effort — all  these  were  employed  through  long  periods  of  time 
to  bring  the  churches  of  the  South  into  complete  fusion  and 
unanimity  of  sentiment  and  action.  In  all  this  the  develop- 
ment and  general  advancement  of  the  country  aided. 

Nor  was  the  opposition  encountered  from  other  denomi- 
nations without  decided  effect.  This  remark  admits  of 
pecuhar  appUcation  to  the  Methodists,  always  a  wide-awake, 
energetic,  and  progressive  people.  The  omnipresent  circuit 
rider,  with  his  supply  of  tracts  and  books  in  his  saddle-bags, 
proved  a  mighty  fulcrum  to  our  leaders  in  lifting  the  Baptist 
people  of  the  South  upon  a  higher  plane  of  activity  and 
intelligence.  Baptists  can  never  know  how  much  they  are 
indebted   to   the   indefatigable  Methodist  preacher.     Vying 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES  85 

\\ith  each  other,  not  ahvays  in  the  most  fraternal  or  even 
friendly  way,  the  Methodists  and  Baptists  have  largely  evan- 
gelized the  States  of  the  South. 

V.    THE    FOURTH    STAGE    OF    DEVELOPMENT. 

This  relates  more  especially  to  missionary  enterprise.  In 
the  earlier  days,  when  Southern  society  was  less  coherent 
and  when  the  enforcement  of  law  Avas  lax,  the  pulpit  was  a 
mighty  conservator.  Prevalent  vices,  ahvays  inseparable  from 
the  population  of  a  new  region,  demanded  the  most  pro- 
nounced pulpit  deliverances.  Hence,  in  those  early  times 
the  legal  side  of  the  gospel  was  more  frequently  proclaimed 
than  the  side  of  love.  Men  were  alarmed  rather  than  per- 
suaded. 

In  the  midst  of  this  hard  service  and  excessive  labor 
preachers  thought  little  of  compensation.  To  urge  this 
would  have  been  to  defeat  their  efforts.  Pastoral  compen- 
sation, save  in  the  towns  and  cities,  was  little  thought  of 
Generations  of  preachers  in  the  rural  districts  never  dreamed 
of  compensation,  arduous  though  their  labors  were  and  ex- 
ceeding great  as  were  their  sacrifices.  Most  of  the  men  who 
laid  the  foundations  of  the  great  Baptist  denomination  of  the 
South  went  to  their  graves  unrewarded  in  this  world's  goods. 

Next  came  the  agitating  questions  to  which  allusion  has 
already  been  made.  The  opposition  encountered  in  the 
work  of  organization  was  the  logical  result  of  the  character 
of  the  evangelistic  labors  of  the  early  fathers.  The  suggestion 
of  organization  had  in  it  more  than  a  hint  about  money.  So 
had  the  questions  of  education  and  the  founding  of  educa- 
tional institutions.  Time  was  needed  as  a  solvent  of  these 
dii^culties. 

This  opposition  became  still  more  pronounced  when  the 
effort  was  made  to  raise  funds  for  missionary  purposes.  And 
yet  this  remark  is  not  to  be  received  except  with  decided 
modification.  Many  individuals  there  were,  both  men  and 
women,  who  had  from  the  earliest  years  of  the  century 
been  liberal  contributors  to  missions.  Relatively  speaking, 
but  little  was  done  by  the  great  mass  of  Southern  Baptists, 
save  in  the  centers  of  population,  prior  to  1845.  Much 
had  been  accomplished  in  many  ways  for  local  or  domestic 
missions,  but  missions  abroad  were  never  emphasized  to 
the  churches  of  the  South  until  the  formation  of  the  South- 
ern Baptist  Convention.  Of  course,  churches  served  by 
such  men  as  Furman,  Holcombe,  Mercer,  Johnson,  Sher- 
wood, and   others,   who  were    identified  with  the  interests 


86  BAPTISTS    OF   THE   SOUTHERN    STATES 

fostered  by  the  Triennial  Convention,  made  stated  contribu- 
tions to  the  general  cause ;  but  the  great  mass  of  Baptists 
was  untouched  by  the  appeal  in  behalf  of  foreign  missions 
prior  to  1845.  That  they  were  devoted  to  domestic  missions, 
however,  is  abundantly  indicated  by  the  fact  that  they  have 
within  one  hundred  years  grown  from  a  membership  of,  per- 
haps, less  than  70,000  to  about  2,000,000,  a  ratio  of  increase 
that  is  marvelous. 

In  the  westward  flow  of  civihzation  the  Baptists  of  the 
South  have  been  numerously  represented.  Hence  they  are 
strong  in  the  great  Mississippi  basin  and  throughout  the  vast 
domain  of  Texas,  Arkansas,  and  Missouri. 

During  the  later  years  of  the  century  the  Baptists  of  the 
trans-Mississippi  region,  though  the  last  portion  of  the  South 
to  be  occupied,  are  not  a  whit  behind  their  brethren  in  the 
eastern  portion  in  energy,  earnestness,  and  progressiveness. 
Their  churches,  their  preachers,  their  papers,  and  their 
schools  are  abreast  of  these  same  agencies  elsewhere  in  the 
South. 

With  the  later  years  of  the  century  came  increased  zeal  in 
foreign  missions,  to  which  as  much  attention  is  now  shown  by 
Southern  Baptists  as  there  is  to  home  missions.  As  before  in- 
timated, interest  in  these  twin  causes  was  stirred  into  fresh  life 
by  the  organization  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  in 
1845.  The  work  of  the  Domestic  Board,  located  first  at 
Marion,  Ala. ,  and  afterward  removed  to  Atlanta,  Ga. ,  as  the 
Home  Mission  Board,  became  urgent  in  fostering  complete 
organization  and  in  ehciting  means  for  developing  the  outlying 
districts  and  for  the  propagation  of  truth  in  the  rapidly  grow- 
ing centers.  Its  achievements  have  been  great,  but  its  possi- 
bilities are  greater  to-day  than  ever  before. 

With  similar  energy  and  enterprise  the  Foreign  Mission 
Board,  located  from  its  organization  to  the  present  at  Rich- 
mond, Virginia,  has  prosecuted  its  work  in  distant  fields.  In 
China,  Africa,  Japan,  Italy,  Mexico,  and  South  America  the 
missionaries  of  the  Foreign  Board  are  laboring  with  marked 
success.  Through  the  Foreign  Board,  the  Southern  Baptists 
are  supporting  126  missionaries  in  the  different  fields  already 
named.  These  are  distributed  as  follows  :  In  China,  there 
are  forty-four,  with  native  assistants  ;  in  Africa,  eight  ;  in 
Italy,  sixteen  ;  in  South  America,  twenty-three  ;  in  Mexico, 
twenty-seven  ;  in  Japan,  eight. 

The  evangehstic  work  in  the  South  has  been  intensified 
and  solidified  by  the  creation  of  a  local  Board  in  each  State. 
While  the  primary  object  of  these  Boards  is  the  oversight  of 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES  8/ 

mission  operations  in  a  given  State,  closest  touch  with  the  gen- 
eral work  and  co-operation  with  it  obtains.  To  these  State 
Boards  is  chiefly  due  the  revival  in  Sunday-school  work  in  the 
South.  While  Sunday-schools  have  existed  in  some  form  in 
some  of  the  churches  since  the  opening  of  the  century,  they 
did  not  become  prominent  until  about  i860.  The  rising  inter- 
est in  that  cause  was  retarded  by  the  Civil  War,  but  at  its  close 
the  interest  was  renewed.  When  a  few  years  after  the  cessa- 
tion of  hostilities  State  Boards  began  to  be  formed,  a  new 
impetus  was  imparted  to  the  Sunday-school,  and  it  has  in- 
creased with  the  years. 

VI.    THE    FIFTH    STAGE    OF    DEVELOPMENT. 

Special  reference  is  had  by  this  to  that  branch  of  denomi- 
national education  which  relates  to  theological  instruction. 
The  creation  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary 
was  a  distinct  stage  of  development  in  the  history  of  Southern 
Baptists.  It  was  the  culmination  of  six  decades  of  experi- 
mental effort  on  the  part  of  the  Baptists  of  the  South.  For 
the  successful  completion  of  this  great  enterprise  the  Baptists 
of  the  South  are  chiefly  indebted  to  Dr.  James  P.  Boyce. 
The  advancement  made  in  the  two  great  spheres  of  effort  oc- 
cupied by  Southern  Baptists — missions  and  education — is 
more  largely  due  to  this  institution,  already  become  famous, 
than  to  all  other  agencies  combined.  The  flexibiUty  of  its 
curriculum  has  been  aidful  to  the  pastors  of  Southern  Bap- 
tists, of  all  degrees  of  culture.  The  seminary  has  just  fairly 
begun  its  career  of  usefulness. 

CONCLUSION. 

Other  interests  not  previously  mentioned  which  are  inci- 
dental in  character,  but  which  are  indicative  of  the  increased 
vitality  in  the  Baptist  churches  of  the  South,  may  be  briefly 
mentioned  here.  These  relate  to  efforts  designed  to  enlist  the 
youth  and  children  belonging  to  the  congregations  of  South- 
ern Baptists.  One  of  these  is  the  Baptist  Young  People's 
Union,  which  has  proved  to  be  as  popular  in  the  South  as 
in  any  other  section  of  our  common  country.  The  wide- 
awake pastors  of  our  churches,  in  city  and  country  alike,  have 
committed  themselves  to  the  organization  of  the  youth  of 
their  respective  charges  and  are  impressing  them  with  the 
importance  of  work  for  the  Master. 

"The  Sunbeams"  is  an  organization,  I  believe,  peculiar 
to  the  South.  The  purpose  of  this  organization  is  to  enlist 
the  smaller  children  of  the  congregation  in  general  denomi- 


88  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    SOUTHERN    STATES 

national  work.  This  is  coming  to  be  as  popular  with  that 
class  as  the  larger  organization  is  to  the  youth  of  our  churches. 
In  a  sketch  so  general  and  imperfect  as  this  is,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  give  more  than  a  glimpse  of  the  accomplishments  of 
Southern  Baptists  during  the  nineteenth  century.  Many  points 
of  interest  have  been  passed  over  without  record,  or  even 
allusion,  but  sufficient  has  been  presented  to  show  the  phe- 
nomenal development  within  one  hundred  years.  Within  the 
last  quarter  of  the  century  long  strides  have  been  taken  by 
Southern  Baptists.  With  their  superior  institutions  of  learn- 
ing, an  able  press,  ample  mission  machinery  and  organization, 
progressive  spirit,  and  strong  ministry.  Southern  Baptists  enter 
the  new  century  superbly  panophed  for  service  for  the  Lord. 

B.  F.  Riley. 


VIII 

BAPTISTS  OF  THE  CENTRAL  WESTERN  STATES 


This  sketch,  which  cannot  be  more,  attempts  the  retracing 
of  the  denominational  progress  for  a  century  in  a  region 
constituting  at  its  end  a  mighty  empire  with  a  population 
of  nearly  25,000,000,  comprised  in  sixteen  States,  nine  of 
which  have  passed  the  million  mark  in  population,  two  of 
them  having  more  than  4,000,000  each.  It  is,  in  general,  the 
region  which  at  the  beginning  of  the  century  comprised  the 
Northwest  Territory  entire  and  the  greater  part  of  that  vast 
Louisiana  province  ceded  by  France  to  Spain  in  1763,  re- 
ceded to  France  in  1800,  and  purchased  by  the  United  States 
from  Napoleon  in  1803.  Nor  can  the  denominational,  any 
more  than  the  national,  history  be  understood  without  an  un- 
derstanding of  the  territorial  and  political  premises,  especially 
as  indicated  in  the  ordinance  of  1787  and  the  development  of 
the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio.  Baptist  history  in  this 
region  is  illumined  by  the  fact  that  the  pioneers  consisted  in 
large  part  either  of  revolutionary  soldiers  seeking  to  retrieve 
the  fortunes  shattered  by  war,  or  of  those  voluntarily  forsaking 
their  former  homes  for  the  sake  of  living  under  the  principles 
embodied  in  the  ordinance  of  1787,  guaranteeing  the  en- 
couragement of  education  and  rehgious  and  individual  free- 
dom. 

Patriotism,  liberty  of  conscience,  education,  and  human 
freedom  will  be  recognized  as  characteristic  Baptist  ideas  and 
it  will  not  seem  strange  that  the  first  Protestant  church  to  be 
formed  in  all  this  vast  region  was  a  Baptist  church,  that  the 
pioneers  were  in  so  many  instances  of  aggressive  anti-slavery 
views,  and  that  education  followed  hard  after  church-found- 
ing. November  18,  1788,  a  few  months  later  than  the  earli- 
est settlement  in  the  territory  at  Marietta,  a  band  of  twenty- 
five  pioneers  settled  at  Columbia,  within  the  present  limits 
of  Cincinnati.  The  leader.  Major  Benjamin  Stites,  and  five 
others,  including  John  S.  Gano,  son  of  Dr.  John  Gano,  first 
pastor  in  New  York  City,  were  Baptists.  The  historic  first 
church  in  the  territory  was  organized  at  Columbia  in  January 
or  March,  1790,  by  Rev,  Stephen  Gano,  another  son  of  Dr. 


90  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    CENTRAL    WESTERN    STATES 

Gano,  then  on  a  visit  to  the  Ohio  region  and  afterward  for 
thirty-six  years  pastor  at  Providence,  R.  I.  The  first  pastor 
of  the  Columbia  Church  (still  existing  as  Duck  Creek  Church) 
was  John  Smith,  afterward  United  States  senator  and  un- 
fortunately associated  with  Aaron  Burr.  The  first  Baptist 
church  in  what  is  now  Illinois  was  constituted  in  1796  at  New 
Design,  Illinois,  with  the  Lemen  family  as  members,  of  whom 
the  father,  James  Lemen,  and  five  sons,  James,  Josiah, 
Moses,  Joseph,  and  William,  became  preachers  and  anti- 
slavery  leaders.  The  first  church  in  Indiana  dates  from 
1798^  or  1800,^  and  was  the  Silver  Creek  Church,  near  the 
Falls  of  the  Ohio.  The  first  general  organization  of  Baptists 
in  the  West  was  that  of  the  Miami  Association,  which  includes 
the  Cincinnati  region.  The  first  meeting  for  the  organization 
of  this  Association  was  held  September  23,  1797,  at  Columbia, 
although  the  organization  was  not  perfected  until  June,  1798. 

No  general  statistics  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  like  those 
for  1792  and  181 2,  are  available  for  the  year  1800,  yet  we 
are  able  with  fair  accuracy  to  estimate  those  for  the  region 
under  our  survey.  Miami  Association  had  in  1800  ten 
churches  and  291  members.  There  existed  also  at  least  the 
Rainbow  Church,  near  Marietta,  Ohio,  the  New  Design 
Church  in  Illinois,  the  Silver  Creek  Church  in  Indiana,  and 
a  small  body,  the  Ames  Church  in  Scioto  Association,  Ohio, 
organized  in  1800.  A  fair  estimate  for  the  membership  of 
these  fourteen  churches  would  probably  be  375  members. 
This  is  the  beginning  of  a  century  of  Baptist  work  in  a  region 
which  in  1900  reported  4,866  churches  with  448,543  mem- 
bers. 

For  the  first  quarter  of  the  century,  as  indeed  for  long  after, 
Cincinnati  continued  to  be  the  metropolis  of  the  West,  and 
Baptist  history  for  this  period  was  largely  confined  to  Ohio, 
where  churches  multiplied  until  at  the  organization  of  the 
Ohio  Baptist  Convention,  in  1826,  it  was  estimated  that  there 
were  7,000  Baptist  members  among  the  700,000  inhabitants 
of  Ohio.  Among  the  prominent  churches  which  had  their 
beginning  within  this  time  were  the  First  Church  in  Cincin- 
nati proper  (1813),  Lebanon  (1802),  Zanesville,  Granville 
(1808),  Wooster  (1812),  Marietta  (1818),  Dayton  (1824), 
Columbus  (1824).  The  remarkable  providence  which 
through  the  coming  of  Adoniram  Judson  into  the  denomina- 
tion hastened  the  formation  of  what  is  now  the  Missionary 
Union,  in  May,  18 14,  found  instant  response  in  Ohio,   al- 

1  "  Bap.  Encyc,"  and  Smith,  "  Hist.  Baptists  in  Western  States." 
2  Jesse  Vawter  in  "  Bap.  Triennial  Register  "  for  1836. 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    CENTRAL    WESTERN    STATES         9 1 

though  separated  far  from  the  East  in  those  primitive  days, 
for  in  the  records  of  the  Miami,  Mad  River,  and  Scioto 
Associations  for  the  same  year,  while  the  Missionary  Union 
was  but  four  or  five  months  old,  there  are  found  an  account 
of  the  new  organization,  with  its  constitution  reprinted  entire, 
and  a  warm  commendation  of  the  cause  to  the  churches.  In 
18 1 5  the  Miami  Association  voted  to  organize  the  Miami 
Baptist  Domestic  Missionary  Society,  "to  support  Baptist 
missionaries  in  this  Western  country."  This  organization, 
completed  in  18 16,  was  a  genuine  home  missionary  society, 
and  in  18 19  it  was  voted  by  the  Association  to  recommend 
the  Domestic  Missionary  Society  at  its  next  meeting  to  pro- 
vide also  for  foreign  missions  in  the  constitution. 

In  1816,  or  possibly  in  18 17,  the  Ohio  Baptist  Education 
Society  was  formed  in  Beaver  Association,^  and  although  in 
the  strenuous  times  which  soon  were  experienced  in  that 
Association,  through  the  presence  in  it  of  Alexander  Camp- 
bell and  Sidney  Rigdon,  this  organization  seems  to  have 
lapsed  into  obscurity,  so  that  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  bore 
direct  connection  with  the  present  society  of  the  same  name, 
yet  it  is  of  importance  as  the  first  movevient  on  behalf  of  de- 
nomiTiational  education  organized  in  the  West.  In  1824  there 
was  organized  the  Cincinnati  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  to 
perform  missionary  work  within  a  radius  of  twenty-five  miles 
of  Cincinnati  and  to  organize  auxihary  societies.  This  or- 
ganization, two  years  later,  gave  way  to,  and  led  in,  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Ohio  Baptist  Convention,  which  was  formed  at 
Zanesville  in  May,  1826.  The  anti-means,  anti-education, 
and  anti-mission  movements  in  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Illinois 
are  often  assumed  at  this  distance  from  their  beginnings  to 
have  represented  the  original  attitude  of  Western  Baptists 
toward  missions  and  education,  and  the  progressive  sentiment 
only  to  have  emerged  slowly  and  painfully  therefrom.  But 
the  anti-mission  sentiment,  on  the  contrary,  while  always 
latent  in  human  hearts,  did  not  fully  come  to  a  head  until 
the  middle  of  the  fourth  decade  of  the  century,  while  the 
Baptist  missionary  movement  in  the  West  was  instantly  wel- 
comed in  Ohio  in  1814  ;  and  within  that  second  decade  of 
the  century  at  least  three  Associations  (the  Miami,  Beaver, 
and  Mohican,  in  Ohio)  proceeded  to  form  missionary  or 
educational  organizations,  or  both,  on  their  own  account,  be- 
sides co-operating  with  the  Triennial  Convention.  The 
notable  work  of  Isaac  McCoy  among  the  Indians  began  in 

1  Minutes  Beaver  Association  for  1817,  and  Miami  Association  for  1818,  and  copy  of 
constitution  preserved  in  the  Larwill  family  at  Wooster,  Ohio. 


92  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    CENTRAL    WESTERN    STATES 

Indiana  in  1818,  and  was  transferred  to  Carey  Station,  near 
the  present  site  of  Niles,  Michigan,  in  1822  ;  and  John  M. 
Peck,  sent  out  by  the  Triennial  Convention  to  St.  Louis  in 
181 7,  had  by  18 19  organized  the  United  Society  for  the 
Spread  of  the  Gospel,  with  its  education  fund,  its  Indian 
fund,  and  its  mission  fund,  which  was  approved  the  same 
year  by  the  Missouri  and  the  lUinois  Associations  and  whose 
purposes  were  vigorously  pushed  with  much  success,  forming 
the  introduction  to  Dr.  Peck's  important  work,  educational 
and  missionary,  in  Illinois,  and  to  the  formation  of  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society. 

The  first  quarter-century,  which  saw  Baptist  history  well 
started  in  Ohio,  Illinois,  and  Indiana,  saw  also  its  bare  be- 
ginning in  Michigan,  for  the  first  church  was  formed  at  Pon- 
tiac  in  1822,  the  year  in  which  also  the  First  Church,  Indian- 
apolis, was  organized.  The  Pontiac  Church  was  organized 
by  Rev.  Elon  Galusha,  but  the  first  settled  pastor  was  El- 
kanah  Comstock,  who  came  to  Pontiac  in  1824  and  who  in 
the  two  years  following  organized  the  Bloomfield  and  Farm- 
ington  churches  which,  with  the  Stony  Creek  Church  (formed 
in  i824)and  the  Pontiac  Church,  were  on  June  3,  1826,  formed 
into  the  Michigan  Association.  These  dates,  which  are  es- 
tabUshed  by  a  letter  from  Elkanah  Comstock,  dated  Novem- 
ber 15,  1826,  and  printed  in  the  "American  Baptist  Maga- 
zine" (now  the  "  Missionary  Magazine")  for  February,  1827, 
are  to  be  remembered,  since  the  Michigan  Association  ob- 
served its  fiftieth  anniversary,  in  1877,  and  still  gives  the 
date  of  organization  in  the  "Michigan  Baptist  Annual"  as 
1827,  misled  probably  by  the  early  practice  of  referring  to  a 
first  anniversary  as  the  "  first  annual  meeting,"  as  is  done  by 
Elkanah  Comstock  himself  in  a  second  letter  to  the  "Ameri- 
can Baptist  Magazine,"  dated  July  6,  1827,  and  published 
in  the  magazine  for  August  of  that  year,  giving  an  account  of 
the  first  anniversary  of  the  Association.  The  year  1827  saw 
the  organization  of  the  First  Church,  Detroit,  by  Rev.  Henry 
Davis,  and  the  year  following  that  in  Ann  Arbor,  under  Rev. 
Moses  Taylor. 

The  decade  of  the  thirties  saw  in  quick  succession  the  or- 
ganization of  Baptist  colleges  in  the  four  States,  beginning 
with  Granville,  Ohio,  in  1831  ;  Shurtleff,  in  Illinois,  follow- 
ing, in  1832  ;  Kalamazoo,  in  1836  ;  and  Franklin,  in  1837, 
each  of  them  with  manual  labor  features  and  the  most  of  them 
with  theological  aspirations.  Each  of  these  institutions  has 
survived,  and  at  the  end  of  the  century  they  are  attended  by 
probably  1,200  students  and  represent  an  investment  in  prop- 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    CENTRAL    WESTERN    STATES         93 

erty  and  endowments  of  nearly  $2,000,000.  It  was  this  dec- 
ade, so  prolific  in  promising  educational  offspring,  which  ush- 
ered in  the  birth  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety, which  saw  at  its  beginning  in  this  region  668  of  our 
churches,  with  26,986  members,  and  at  its  close  the  churches 
increased  800  percent.,  and  the  membership  1,600  per  cent. 

This  decade  saw  also  the  notable  beginnings  of  Baptist 
work  in  Chicago,  the  first  church  being  organized  by  Rev.  A. 
B.  Freeman  in  1833.  The  year  1836  saw  the  establishment 
of  the  first  church  in  Milwaukee,  with  other  Baptist  begin- 
nings in  Wisconsin.  But  the  same  decade  witnessed  the  cul- 
mination of  the  slowly  gathering  opposition  to  missionary  and 
educational  work.  The  doctrinal  basis  of  this  opposition  lay 
in  the  hyper-Calvinistic  construction  placed,  perhaps  without 
great  straining,  upon  the  Philadelphia  Confession.  Its  prac- 
tical basis  lay  in  the  natural  human  tendency  to  withstand 
claims  upon  body,  brain,  and  purse,  and  in  a  jealousy  of  the 
more  educated  and  aggressive  ministry,  who  may,  perhaps, 
in  some  cases  have  let  their  light  shine  with  too  bright  a  glare.  ^ 

In  the  fourth  decade  of  the  century  the  anti-means  and  anti- 
mission  movement  seemed  most  formidable.  It  rent  the 
Miami  Association  asunder,  taking  nineteen  churches  with 
706  members  and  leaving  but  six  churches  with  441  mem- 
bers ;  and  all  throughout  southern  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Illi- 
nois the  line  of  cleavage  opened.  But  it  fought  a  hopeless 
fight  against  the  onward  movement  of  God's  universe.  In  a 
brief  twenty  years  the  missionary  Miami  Association  had  six- 
teen churches  with  1,964  members,  while  the  anti-mission 
body  had  but  ten  churches,  with  343  members ;  and  at  the 
end  of  the  century  the  missionary  Baptists  have  in  Ohio  more 
than  72,000  members,  while  there  are  few  more  than  2,000 
of  the  Primitive  Baptists  scattered  about  over  the  State. 

.  And  now  the  lines  limited  in  the  first  generation  to  the 
five  States  of  the  Northwest  Territory  begin  rapidly  to  diverge 
until  they  take  in  one  State  and  Territory  after  another,  cover- 
ing at  last  the  whole  imperial  domain  of  our  study.  The 
hues  push  first  across  the  Mississippi  into  Iowa  in  1834,  and 
the  first  church  is  organized  at  Long  Creek,  now  Danville. 
The  first  Iowa  Association  was  organized  in  1839,  with  three 
churches  and  ninety  members,  represented  by  ten  delegates. 
The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Hezekiah 
Johnson,  father  of  Dr.  Franklin  Johnson,  of  Chicago,  and 
prominent  in  early  Ohio,   Indiana,   Iowa,  and  Pacific  Coast 

1  "  Mass.  Bap.  Miss.  Mag.,"  Sept.,  1812. 


94  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    CENTRAL    WESTERN    STATES 

history.  The  Iowa  State  Convention  was  organized  in  1842, 
at  Iowa  City.  Early  names  of  prominence  were,  of  ministers  : 
Ezra  Fisher,  H.  Johnson,  Burton  Carpenter,  J.  W.  Todd, 
M.  J.  Post,  Ira  Blanchard  ;  and  of  laymen  :  Stephen  Headley, 
Amos  Matthews,  M.  W.  Rudd,  J.  M.  Choate,  and  others. 
In  the  first  full  decade,  from  1840  to  1850,  Iowa  Baptists  in- 
creased from  1,000  to  11,000.  It  is  said  that  the  early  labor- 
ers in  Iowa  were  men  of  unusual  culture,  broad-mindedness, 
and  energy,  and  its  later  history  is  in  keeping  with  the  state- 
ment. Iowa  which,  at  the  organization  of  the  State  Conven- 
tion in  1842,  had  eleven  churches  and  386  members,  had  at 
the  close  of  the  century  461  churches  and  38,499  members. 

Nearly  midway  of  the  century,  in  1849,  our  first  church  in 
Minnesota  was  formed  at  St.  Paul.  The  first  Association  was 
formed  in  1852  ;  a  church  constituted  at  Minneapolis  in  1853  ; 
and  the  State  Convention  formed  in  1859,  with  fifty  churches 
and  1,500  members  to  show  for  the  first  decade  of  work. 
The  work  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  was  of  signal  im- 
portance here  as  elsewhere.  When  there  were  112  churches 
it  is  reported  that  only  nineteen  of  them  had  houses  of 
worship.  Minnesota  Baptists  had  at  the  end  of  the  century 
155  churches  and  19,626  members. 

It  was  in  1854  that  the  Home  Mission  Society  entered 
Kansas,  and  in  i860,  when  the  State  Convention  was  formed, 
there  were  thirty  churches,  with  537  members.  It  had,  in 
1900,  40,198  Baptists,  or  one  to  every  thirty-six  of  the 
population,  while  Indiana,  the  next  highest,  had  only  one  to 
every  thirty-nine. 

It  was  in  1855  that  the  first  church  in  Nebraska  was 
formed  at  Nebraska  City.  The  first  Association  followed  in 
1858  and  the  State  Convention  ten  years  later.  Rev.  J.  M. 
Taggart  and  Rev.  J.  G.  Bowen  were  pioneer  builders  of 
Baptist  history,  and  it  was  said  in  1880  that  there  was 
scarcely  a  church  in  the  State  which  had  not  been  aided  by 
the  Home  Mission  Society.  There  were  at  this  time  138 
churches  and  4,855  members.  Nebraska  had  at  the  end 
of  the  century  239  churches,  with  15,824  members,  or  one 
in  seventy  of  all  Nebraskans.  The  educational  work,  repre- 
sented in  Grand  Island  College,  has  afforded  proof  of  the 
devotion  and  self-sacrifice  of  Nebraska  Baptists. 

The  first  church  in  Colorado  was  formed  at  Golden  in 
1863  by  Rev.  WiUiam  Whitehead.  The  First  Church,  Den- 
ver, was  organized  in  1864,  under  Rev.  W.  McD.  Potter. 
The  Home  Mission  Society  has  put  ^160,000  into  Colorado, 
together  with  the  work  of  Dr.  H.  C.  Woods  and  many  noble 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    CENTRAL    WESTERN    STATES         95 

missionaries.  Colorado  closed  the  century  with  a  Baptist 
membership  of  8,253,  or  o^''^  i^"*  sixty-five  of  the  population, 
a  proportion  not  far  below  that  of  Iowa  and  Ohio. 

The  Dakotas,  North  and  South,  have  witnessed  worthy 
Baptist  achievement,  VerniiUon,  organized  in  1868,  under 
Rev.  J.  E.  Rockwood,  was  the  first  permanent  church. 
Deacon  Martin  J.  Lewis,  of  this  church,  was  during  his  life 
associated  with  nearly  all  prominent  denominational  interests 
in  the  State,  and  the  State  University,  located  at  Vermil- 
ion, has  had  a  strong  Baptist  element  from  the  first,  with  two 
Baptist  presidents.  At  Sioux  Falls  there  is  located  a  most 
prosperous  church,  organized  in  1875,  and  a  Baptist  college, 
from  which  much  is  hoped  for  the  State.  The  Baptists  had 
at  the  close  of  the  century  5,385  members,  a  proportion  of 
one  in  eighty  to  the  whole  population.  North  Dakota  was 
late  in  its  Baptist  beginnings,  although  two  missionaries  of 
the  Sioux  entered  the  State  in  1852,  Elijah  Terry  and  James 
Tanner,  the  former  being  killed  by  the  Indians.  The  im- 
portant church  at  Fargo  was  organized  in  1879,  but  Baptist 
growth  begins  with  the  taking  up  of  the  work  by  the  Home 
Mission  Society  in  1881,  with  Rev.  G.  W.  Huntley  as 
general  missionary.  Ten  churches  were  organized  in  the 
first  year,  and  at  the  end  of  Mr.  Huntley's  ten  years  of  work 
there  were  fifty-six  churches,  with  about  1,600  members,  and 
these  had  grown  in  1900  to  sixty-four  churches,  with  2,547 
members. 

Montana,  the  mountain  State,  is  one  of  the  new  and  diffi- 
cult regions  where  you  must  pass  199  people  before  you 
reach  a  Baptist,  yet  while  in  1870  there  was  but  one  church 
and  twenty  members,  and  in  1880  but  four  churches  and 
100  members,  there  were  in  1900  twenty-two  churches  and 
1,278  members,  and  Rev.  L.  G.  Clark,  the  general  mis- 
sionary, is  making  Baptist  history  for  the  centuries  to  come. 
Wyoming,  with  463  Baptists,  has  the  same  proportion  to  the 
population  as  in  Montana  and  in  Utah  ;  after  twenty  years 
of  work,  there  are  615  Baptists,  a  proportion  of  but  one  to  450 
of  the  population,  while  in  Nevada,  the  one  State  in  the 
Union  which  is  losing  in  population.  Baptists  have  but  two 
churches,  one  ordained  minister,  and  eighty-four  members, 
only  one  in  500  of  the  population.  Yet  even  in  these  regions 
each  genuine  Baptist  must  be  like  a  charge  of  moral  dynamite 
drilled  into  the  great  mountain  side  and  destined  to  lay  bare 
their  true  wealth  in  coming  years. 

This  sketch  has  had  largely  to  do  with  beginnings  and 
endings,   as  achievement  could   thus  best  be   shown.      But 


g6  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    CENTRAL    WESTERN    STATES 

there  are  eloquent  years  all  along  the  way  which  could  speak 
of  the  work  in  Ohio  of  such  men  as  Professor  John  Stevens, 
the  Sedwicks,  Drs.  S.  W.  Lynd,  D.  Shepardson,  E.  G.  Rob- 
inson, Wayland  Hoyt,  H.  F.  Colby,  S.  W.  Adams,  S.  W. 
Duncan,  A.  H.  Strong,  and  such  princely  laymen  as  E. 
Thresher,  ll.  d.  ,  and  the  younger  Threshers,  E.  F.  Barney 
and  his  son,  Judge  T.  W.  Ewart,  Hon.  J.  M.  Hoyt,  R.  A. 
Holden,  W.  H.  Doane,  and  G.  M.  Peters.  And  in  Indiana, 
what  apostolic  tales  could  be  told  of  the  Vawters,  of  Drs. 
Day,  Stimson,  J.  R.  Stone,  W.  M.  Pratt,  J.  L.  Richmond, 
W.  T.  Stott,  father  and  son,  with  noble  laymen  such  as  the 
Holmans,  legislators  and  foremost  Baptists  ;  E.  C.  Atkins, 
of  Indianapolis,  and  Deacon  Henderson,  of  Lafayette. 

And  Michigan  history  is  redolent  still  of  the  lives  of  pastors 
like  Dr.  Samuel  Haskell,  saint  of  God  and  molder  of  men  ; 
of  Dr.  Samuel  Graves  and  of  quaint  old  Dr.  S.  Cornelius, 
joint  founder  of  the  Publication  Society,  who  once,  when 
asked  how  many  deacons  he  had,  replied  :  "A  thousand,  yes 
a  thousand — ofie  and  three  ciphers  /  "  In  Illinois  the  record 
is  quite  fully  given  in  Dr.  J.  A.  Smith's  "History  of  the 
Baptists  in  the  Western  States,"  while  of  Wisconsin  it  may  be 
said,  that  in  a  field  difficult  for  Baptists,  with  faithfulness  and 
success,  they  have  steadily  gained  in  ratio  to  the  rest  of  the 
population,  though  they  are  still  but  one  out  of  every  105. 

The  region  of  our  sketch  has  given  to  the  world  at  large 
the  statesman-missionary,  Dr.  William  Ashmore  ;  the  world's 
leading  Sunday-school  worker,  B.  F.  Jacobs,  father  of  the 
International  Lesson  system  ;  the  greatest  organizing  educa- 
tional genius  of  the  century  and  the  most  remarkable  educa- 
tional achievement  of  the  century  in  Dr.  W.  R.  Harper  and 
the  University  of  Chicago  ;  in  the  Baptist  Young  People's 
Union  of  America,  a  movement  of  untold  promise  for  our 
denomination  in  the  western  continent. 

Certain  single  churches  have  arisen  or  developed  which 
surpass  in  scope  of  financial  operations  even  the  national 
organizations  of  early  in  the  century.  Such  churches  as 
First,  Dayton  ;  Ninth  Street  and  Lincoln  Park,  Cincinnati  ; 
EucHd  Avenue  and  First,  Cleveland ;  Ashland  Avenue, 
Toledo  ;  Woodward  Avenue,  Detroit ;  First,  Indianapolis  ; 
First,  Second,  and  Immanuel,  Chicago  ;  First,  Denver  ;  First, 
Milwaukee  ;  First,  St.  Paul ;  First  and  Central,  Minneapo- 
lis, and  others,  represent  in  splendid  equipments,  varied 
activities,  and  large  beneficence  the  modern  ideal  of  a  Baptist 
church. 

The  end  of  the  century  finds  in  this  Western  region  nearly 


BAPTISTS    OF   THE    CENTRAL    WESTERN    STATES         97 

450.000  Baptists,  a  proportion  of  one  to  fifty-four  of  the 
population,  and  an  increase  during  the  century  of  120,000. 
As  the  history  is  traced  from  the  beginning  and  as  the  Hnes 
of  development  are  projected  into  the  coming  century;  as 
quality  is  tested  and  the  progress,  ecclesiastical,  missionary, 
and  educational,  is  viewed  both  at  its  present  and  its  pros- 
pective value,  the  Baptist  achievement  for  the  nineteenth 
century  in  this  imperial  Western  domain  takes  its  place  among 
the  notable  historic  forces  which  tend  to  make  this  Western 
continent  the  seat  of  the  highest  type  of  civilization  ever  seen. 
In  Appendix  A,  of  this  volume,  page  458,  will  be  found  a 
statistical  table  giving  in  brief  compass  the  century's  record 
for  the  territory  covered  in  this  chapter. 

Augustine  S.  Carman. 


IX 

BAPTISTS  OF  THE  PACIFIC  SLOPE 


No  adequate  conception  of  the  present  condition  on  the 
Pacific  Slope,  or  of  the  stages  by  which  this  condition  has  been 
reached,  is  possible  without  a  knowledge  of  the  circumstances 
surrounding  those  who  began  the  work  and  those  who  carried 
it  forward  to  its  present  attainment.  This  region  was  de- 
clared to  be  "the  mere  riddlings  of  creation,"  and  it  was  said 
that  if  Congress  should  decide  to  establish  a  penal  colony  for 
criminals  its  utility  would  become  apparent.  It  could  not 
have' been  otherwise  than  that  among  the  earliest  comers  were 
those  of  a  restless,  roving  disposition.  They  came  from  that 
West  in  which  the  institutions  of  religion  were  weak,  and 
where  a  heedless  disregard  of  religion  was  well  mingled  with 
doubts  as  to  its  reality.  Add  to  these  influences  the  fever- 
ishness  developed  by  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California  in 
]  848,  and  later  in  Nevada,  Arizona,  Oregon,  Montana,  and 
Alaska,  and  there  is  set  forth  most  vividly  a  large  family  of 
the  hindrances  to  all  Christian  work  in  this  great  region. 

In  stock  ranches,  in  mining  camps,  and  where  nature  must 
be  subdued  and  broken  to  the  plow,  women  and  families 
must  be  left  behind  until  conditions  became  more  settled  and 
living  somewhat  tolerable.  It  was  so  in  the  settlement  of  the 
Virginia  colony,  it  was  so  on  the  Pacific  Slope,  and  this  to  a 
considerable  extent  still  characterizes  us.  By  the  census  of 
1890,  in  a  population  of  little  more  than  1,200,000,  there 
were  200,000  more  men  than  women,  and  it  can  well  be  be- 
lieved that  in  1850  this  excess  of  men  was  far  greater.  With 
this  was  a  great  sparseness  of  population,  there  being  in  1850 
but  one  person  to  each  sixteen  square  miles.  Under  condi- 
tions like  these,  and  all  that  such  conditions  imply,  Baptists 
began  and  have  carried  forward  their  work  on  the  Pacific 
Slope. 

Into  this  great  region  a  home-seeking  immigration  began 
about  1840.  Missionaries  came  and  began  work  among  the 
native  races  as  early  as  1834,  and  trappers  at  a  considerably 
earlier  date. 

It  is  quite  definitely  known  that  the  first  Baptists  to  reach 
98 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE  99 

this  territory  came  with  the  immigration  of  1843.  The  im- 
migrant wagon  train  with  which  they  had  cast  in  their  lot  left 
Westport,  Missouri,  May  22,  1843.  Of  this  train  Peter  Bur- 
nett, afterward  first  governor  of  California,  was  chosen  cap- 
tain ;  but  after  three  days  he  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by 
David  Thomas  Lennox.  Lennox  was  a  native  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  having  been  born  at  Catskill  on  the  Hudson, 
December  i,  1801.  In  early  manhood  he  left  this  State  for 
Kentucky,  and  there  in  1825  married  Louisa  Swan,  and  for  a 
time  made  his  home  near  Lexington.  But  the  pioneer  spirit 
was  upon  them  and  they  soon  removed  to  the  new  State  of 
Illinois.  Here  one  winter  day  they  were  baptized  by  Rev. 
John  Logan,  and  not  long  afterward  Mr.  Lennox  was  made 
clerk  of  the  Spring  River  Association.  In  1840  the  family 
moved  to  Platte  County,  Missouri,  and  he  and  his  wife  united 
with  the  Todd's  Creek  Church,  of  which  Rev.  Thomas  Turner 
w^as  pastor.  April  9,  1843,  with  his  wife  and  seven  children, 
D.  T.  Lennox  left  Platte  County  for  Westport,  the  appointed 
rendezvous  for  the  Oregon  train.  In  this  company  were 
William  Beagle  and  wife,  Eli  Elevens  and  wife,  and  Henry 
Sevvell,  all  members  of  Baptist  churches.  Late  in  the  fall  of 
1843  they  reached  Oregon  and  settled  for  the  winter  in  Oregon 
City.  In  February  following  Lennox  bought  a  farm  on  the 
Tualatin  Plains,  about  eighteen  miles  west  of  Portland,  and 
moved  his  family  to  that  region. 

On  the  twenty-fifth  of  May,  1844,  having  become  con- 
vinced that  a  Baptist  church  was  needful,  he  gathered  into 
his  own  house  the  following  persons  :  Eli  Elevens  and  wife, 
William  Beagle  and  wife,  and  Henry  Sewell.  These,  with 
himself  and  wife,  he  organized  into  the  West  Tualatin  Baptist 
Church.  There  was  no  recognition  council,  and  no  words  of 
fraternal  encouragement  from  members  of  sister  churches. 
The  nearest  Baptist  church  was  more  than  2,000  miles,  and 
by  usual  routes  of  travel  fully  six  months  distant.  A  Sunday- 
school  was  organized  at  once  by  Henry  Sewell,  and  during 
the  summer  he  gathered  the  children  in  the  first  Baptist 
Sunday-school  on  the  Pacific  Slope,  and  taught  them  from  the 
Scriptures.  No  Baptist  minister  reached  the  coast  until  No- 
vember, 1844,  when  Rev.  Vincent  Snelling  reached  Oregon. 
He  also  made  the  start  to  Oregon  from  Platte  County,  Mis- 
souri, and  in  that  State  had  known  the  Lennox  family.  He 
was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  having  been  born  in  Caldwell 
County,  March,  1797.  He  was  ordained  in  Missouri  and 
preached  there  for  some  years  before  leaving  for  Oregon. 
He  settled  with  the  little  church  and  in  February  of  1845 


lOO  BAPTISTS    OF    THK    PACIFIC    SLOPE 

held  his  first  revival  meeting  with  it.  Three  converts  were 
baptized,  two  of  them  being  daughters  of  Lennox,  and  the 
third.  Perry  Beagle,  a  son  of  another  of  the  constituent  mem- 
bers of  the  church.  The  first  of  the  three  baptized,  and  the 
first  on  the  Pacific  Slope,  was  Mary  A.  Lennox,  now  Mrs. 
R.  W.  Ford,  of  Austin,  Texas. 

After  a  year  spent  with  this  church,  Snelling  removed  to 
Yamhill  County  and  settled  on  a  donation  land-claim  near 
the  present  town  of  McMinnville.  In  1846  he  organized  the 
second  and  third  churches  in  the  State  at  Yamhill  and  La- 
creole.  In  1848  he  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  first 
Association  in  the  State  and  was  its  first  missionary  appointed 
to  "labor  in  the  destitution  within  its  bounds."  In  this  ca- 
pacity he  was  useful  and  honored.  In  September,  1855,  he 
died,  mourned  by  the  whole  brotherhood  of  the  State. 

In  1845  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  de- 
termined to  occupy  the  Pacific  Slope  as  a  mission  field  and 
appointed  Ezra  Fisher  and  Hezekiah  Johnson,  two  tried  and 
experienced  men,  from  its  mission  field  in  Iowa.  They  be- 
gan at  once  their  overland  journey,  and  in  November  of  that 
year  reached  their  new  field  wherein  the  value  and  extent  of 
their  work  entitle  them  to  be  called  the  "  fathers  of  the  Ore- 
gon work." 

In  1846  the  second  and  tlfird  churches  of  Oregon  were 
organized,  and  the  fourth  at  Oregon  City  in  1847.  These 
four  churches  at  their  organization  had  thirty-four  members. 
In  June  of  1848  their  membership  had  become  eighty-seven 
and  an  Association  was  felt  to  be  a  necessity,  and  the  Willa- 
mette Association  was  constituted  June  23,  1848.  An  Asso- 
ciational  missionary  was  promptly  decided  upon,  and  the 
delegates  present  paid  and  pledged  $107.50  of  the  $200 
salary  voted.  In  the  fall  of  this  year,  the  church  at  Oregon 
City  built  for  itself  a  house  of  worship.  The  land  was  cleared 
by  the  hands  of  its  pastor,  Hezekiah  Johnson,  and  the  house 
was  the  first  of  its  kind  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  It  cost 
about  $500  and  for  twenty-three  years  was  used  to  the  glory 
of  God.  The  church  has  built  a  second  and  third  house, 
but  the  first  still  stands,  a  reminder  of  the  day  of  small 
things. 

The  meeting  of  the  Association  in  1852  was  notable  on 
account  of  the  new  faces  seen  for  the  first  time.  Among 
them  were  those  of  Rev.  George  C.  Chandler  and  Rev.  J.  S. 
Read,  who  came  to  take  charge  of  the  Oregon  City  College. 
By  the  year  1856  the  churches  were  sufficiently  increased 
to  justify  the  organization  of  a  second  Association,  and  the 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE  Id 

Corvallis  Association  was  formed  at  Corvallis  with  Ezra 
Fisher,  moderator,  and  C.  H.  Mattoon,  clerk.  Seven 
churches  composed  the  new  body,  with  188  members,  and  in 
the  next  year  the  Central  Association  was  organized  with  ten 
churches  and  429  members.  The  entire  strength  of  the  de- 
nomination in  the  State  at  this  time  was  thirty-four  churches 
with  an  enrolled  membership  of  1,127  members.  In  1857 
there  was  organized  a  General  Association,  but  its  session  of 
1858  was  its  last.  The  reason  for  its  abrupt  discontinuance 
does  not  appear  in  the  records  nor  in  any  published  matter 
of  current  date. 

The  ten  years  from  1857  to  1867  were  full  of  division  and 
bickering  over  the  questions  at  issue  in  the  Civil  War. 
Slavery  never  existed  on  the  Pacific  Slope,  but  a  consider- 
able part  of  our  population  was  from  the  South  and  sympa- 
thized warmly  with  the  South.  With  a  man  like  Ezra  Fisher, 
friend  and  associate  of  Lovejoy,  as  leader  of  those  who  hated 
slavery  and  could  not  fellowship  slave-owners  or  their  friends, 
it  may  be  seen  there  could  be  httle  fellowship  and  fraternal 
co-operation. 

During  this  period  there  was  some  growth,  however. 
About  a  dozen  new  churches  were  organized,  among  them 
the  First  Church  of  Portland,  Oregon,  which  afterward  had 
a  large  place  in  the  work  of  the  State  and  became  the  fruitful 
mother  of  ten  other  such  bodies  in  that  growing  city.  The 
membership  increased  to  about  1600,  and  the  work  had 
gradually  spread  over  the  State,  west  of  the  Cascade  Moun- 
tains and  across  the  Columbia  River  into  what  is  now  the 
State  of  Washington.  During  this  period  of  development 
the  college  and  seminary  trained  man  labored  by  the  side  of 
his  uneducated  and  untrained  brother  with  entire  harmony 
and  mutual  appreciation.  Of  this  latter  class,  were  there 
space,  many  devoted  men  might  be  named  with  all  pro- 
priety. 

In  1876  the  North  Pacific  Coast  Convention  was  organ- 
ized, embracing  the  Territories  of  Oregon,  Washington,  and 
northern  Idaho.  Soon  afterward  the  Home  Mission  Society 
entered  into  co-operative  relations  with  this  body  and  thus 
insured  its  permanence  and  steady  prosperity.  Rev.  J.  C. 
Baker  was,  soon  after  its  organization,  chosen  as  general  mis- 
sionary and  superintendent  of  missions  within  its  bounds, 
and  was  one  of  the  largest  factors  in  its  successful  work  until 
his  resignation,  in  1885.  At  the  date  of  this  organization 
there  were  about  2,400  members,  gathered  into  sixty 
churches.      From  year   to  year  contributions  increased  and 


102  BAPTISTS    OF   THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE 

the  denominational  growth  was  rapid.  This  was  particularly 
the  case  in  Washington,  so  that  after  ten  years  of  successful 
history  this  North  Pacific  Coast  Convention  was  dissolved  in 
order  that  Conventions  might  be  organized  in  the  several 
States,  the  Oregon  Convention  being  organized  at  McMinn- 
ville,  in  June,  1886.  Messrs.  G.  J.  Burchett,  C.  M.  Hill, 
and  Oilman  Parker  served  successively  as  general  mission- 
aries in  Oregon,  with  honor  to  themselves  and  with  steady 
prosperity  in  the  Convention  work. 

The  first  organized  work  in  the  eastern  part  of  Oregon  was 
near  Weston,  where  the  Mount  Pleasant  Church  was  consti- 
tuted in  March,  1866.  In  1868  an  Association  was  formed 
with  five  churches,  known  as  the  Mount  Pleasant  Association 
of  United  Baptist  Churches,  comprised  of  three  churches  in 
Oregon  and  two  from  adjacent  counties  of  Washington,  with 
a  total  membership  of  about  100.  Owing  to  the  sparseness 
of  the  population  in  that  part  of  the  State  the  increase  of 
churches  has  been  slow.  The  Grande  Ronde  Association 
was  organized  in  1874  and  the  Middle  Oregon  in  1883,  while 
the  latest  is  that  of  the   Eastern,  in  1894. 

During  the  last  fifteen  years  considerable  friction  has  ex- 
isted in  our  work  growing  out  of  "alien  immersion"  and 
allied  matters.  In  1892  a  new  Convention  was  organized, 
though  it  would  be  difficult  now  to  state  the  real  grounds  of 
the  division  and  of  the  new  organization.  At  the  first  the 
new  movement  promised  success,  having  secured  the  approval 
of  the  Middle  Oregon,  a  majority  of  the  Grande  Ronde, 
and  the  Western  Associations,  the  churches  of  which  went 
into  the  new  body.  But  its  leaders  set  up  tests  for  fellow- 
ship not  generally  recognized  by  Baptists.  Application  was 
made  to  the  Home  Mission  Society  for  co-operative  relations, 
but  the  application  was  declined  on  the  ground  that  the  new 
Convention  had  no  defined  bounds  and  was  wholly  within  the 
bounds  of  the  Oregon  Convention  with  which  the  society 
was  in  co-operation.  A  few  years  later  the  churches  of  that 
Convention  involved  in  this  movement  returned  for  the  most 
part  to  its  fellowship. 

German  work  on  the  Pacific  Slope  had  its  origin  in  Ore- 
gon. The  first  organization  was  at  Bethany,  near  Portland, 
in  1877.  Delegates  appeared  that  year  in  the  Willamette 
Association  from  this  church,  seeking  to  know  if  the  Bap- 
tist churches  comprising  this  body  baptized  any  persons 
without  a  credible  profession  of  faith.  This  church  came 
as  a  colony  from  Switzerland,  and  from  a  study  of  the 
Bible  had  come  into  accord  with  Baptist  views,  though  know- 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE  IO3 

ing  nothing  of  Baptists  historically.  This  community  having 
the  German  tongue  as  their  own,  this  church  became  the 
founder  of  German  work  in  Oregon.  There  are  now  seven 
German  churches  in  Oregon,  two  in  \\'ashington,  and  three 
in  California,  all  organized  into  the  Pacific  Coast  German 
Conference  and  in  co-operation  with  the  General  Conference 
of  German  Baptist  Churches  in  America. 

Swedish  Baptist  work  on  the  coast  also  had  its  beginnings 
in  Oregon  in  the  organization  of  the  Portland  Swedish  Bap- 
tist Church.  There  is  a  Conference  in  Oregon  with  three 
churches  and  one  in  Washington  with  seven  churches. 
There  is  also  a  number  of  Swedish  churches  in  California, 
but  up  to  the  present  time  they  have  been  connected  with 
the  various  Associations  and  have  not  organized  into  sepa- 
rate Conferences. 

A  considerable  work  is  also  done  among  the  Chinese  in 
each  of  the  coast  States,  being  supported  largely  by  the  Home 
Mission  Society,  through  which  also  has  been  secured  the 
property  belonging  to  that  work.  Work  among  the  Japanese 
is  carried  on  in  Washington,  in  both  Seattle  and  Tacoma. 

Educational  work  in  Oregon  has  been  contemporaneous 
with  church  building.  When  the  new  house  of  worship  was 
completed  in  Oregon  City,  in  1848,  a  school  was  opened 
therein.  In  a  year  or  two  thereafter  land  was  secured,  and 
a  building  was  erected  in  the  present  limits  of  Oregon  City, 
and  a  charter  obtained  from  the  State  legislature  for  "  Oregon 
City  College."  In  185 1,  Rev.  George  C.  Chandler  and 
Rev.  J.  S.  Read  reached  Oregon  to  carry  on  this  school. 
Patronage  did  not  justify  its  continuance,  and  after  some  three 
years  it  was  discontinued,  and  upon  the  opening  of  the  school 
at  McMinnville  such  property  as  remained  was  turned  over 
to  that  institution. 

In  June  of  1857,  the  Central  Association  at  its  first  ses- 
sion extended  "its  fostering  care  over  the  institution  at  Mc- 
Minnville." The  next  year  the  legislature  granted  a  charter 
to  this  "college."  As  was  to  have  been  expected  the  early 
history,  and  indeed  all  its  history,  has  been  a  record  of  strug- 
gle. George  C.  Chandler,  G.  J.  Burchett,  E.  C.  Anderson, 
and  T.  G.  Brownson  have  been  presidents  under  whom 
progress  has  been  made,  and  who  have  given  its  character  to 
the  institution.  Others  equally  faithful  have  labored  and 
sacrificed  and  made  possible  the  work  now  being  done  under 
the  presidency  of  H.  L.  Boardman.  The  campus,  buildings, 
and  endowments  aggregate  a  value  of  $90,000.  In  eastern 
Oregon  the  Grass  Valley  Academy  is  a  new  enterprise  having 


I04  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE 

a  small  campus,  a  good  building,  but  no  endowment,  all 
valued  at  $6,000.  J.  B.  Spight  is  principal.  A  brief  sum- 
mary of  progress  in  Oregon  will  show  that  there  are  now  135 
churches.  These  are  gathered  into  nine  Associations,  and 
own  ninety  houses  of  worship  and  thirteen  parsonages. 
These  have  a  valuation  of  somewhat  more  than  $400,000, 
while  the  entire  membership  is  not  far  from  8,500. 

Work  in  the  present  State  of  Washington  began  near  the 
present  town  of  CentraUa  in  the  early  part  of  1853.  In  that 
year  P.  J.  Harper  settled  in  Shell  Mound  Prairie.  He  had 
been  hcensed  in  Missouri,  removed  to  Oregon  in  1852,  and 
the  following  year  to  Washington.  For  ten  years  he  main- 
tained services  in  his  community,  and  in  1859  conducted  a 
revival  service  in  which  five  professed  conversion.  Following 
this  an  appeal  was  sent  to  the  Corvallis  Association,  of  Oregon, 
for  delegates  to  be  sent  as  a  council  to  advise  with  the  brethren 
concerning  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Harper.  Two  brethren 
made  a  journey  of  more  than  200  miles  on  horseback,  and 
organized  the  New  Prospect  Church  and  ordained  its  pastor, 
Brother  Harper,  in  October,  1859.  His  pastorate  continued 
until  1863,  when  he  removed  to  the  eastern  part  of  the  State, 
and  the  church  soon  afterward  became  extinct  by  reason  of 
the  removal  of  its  members  to  other  places. 

So  far  as  known,  the  second  preacher  to  settle  in  Washing- 
ton was  Rev.  J.  J.  Clark,  who  removed  from  Linn  County, 
Oregon,  and  settled  in  what  is  now  known  as  Brush  Prairie, 
in  Clarke  County,  some  fifteen  miles  from  old  Fort  Van- 
couver, in  1863.  On  May  28,  1863,  he  organized  the  Brush 
Prairie  Church  with  six  members,  and  this  is  the  oldest  of 
the  churches  now  in  existence  in  the  State.  It  has  a  neat 
house  of  worship,  maintains  a  Sunday-school,  and  has  an  oc- 
casional preaching  service,  being  a  small  country  field.  In 
October,  1867,  "Father"  R.  Weston  organized  the  Puyal- 
lup  Church,  near  Tacoma,  and  on  December  20,  1868,  the 
First  Seattle  Church  was  organized  with  eleven  members. 
Its  first  house  of  worship  was  opened  and  dedicated  in 
August,  1872,  the  sermon  being  preached  by  Rev.  E.  Curtis ; 
its  first  pastor  was  J.  Freeman,  d.  d.  ,  from  Vermont,  who 
settled  with  the  church  in  April,  1873.  In  187 1  churches 
were  organized  at  Oysterville  and  Olympia,  and  with 
the  latter  church  in  October  of  that  year  was  organized 
the  Puget  Sound  Association,  comprising  five  churches  with  a 
total  membership  of  eighty-eight  persons.  The  second  meet- 
ing of  the  Association  was  held  with  the  Seattle  church,  and 


BAPTISTS    OF   THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE  I05 

the  body  "rejoices"  in  the  presence  of  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns 
as  colporter  for  Washington  and  Oregon.  At  the  sixth  meet- 
ing of  the  Association  the  church  of  Victoria,  B,  C,  was  re- 
ceived, and  the  name  was  changed  to  "  Puget  Sound  and 
British  Columbia  Association."  This  title  it  retained  until 
1884,  when  it  adopted  its  original  name,  the  field  being 
divided  and  the  churches  of  British  Columbia  going  into  a 
new  Association. 

The  year  1883  marks  a  decided  advance  in  the  work  in 
the  western  part  of  the  State.  The  churches  now  num- 
bered sixteen  with  nearly  400  members.  A  committee  had 
been  created  to  act  as  a  sort  of  mission  Board  to  care  for 
the  work  on  the  Sound.  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker  was  superinten- 
dent of  missions  for  Oregon  and  Washington,  and  the  North 
Pacific  Coast  Convention  still  embraced  all  the  churches  of 
the  two  States.  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  was  nearing 
completion  to  the  Sound.  The  cities  of  Seattle  and  Tacoma 
were  rapidly  increasing  in  population  and  many  other  points 
were  growing  rapidly  in  business  and  population.  In  1884 
Rev.  A.  B.  Banks  was  secured  as  general  missionary  for  the 
field,  and  in  1888  the  Northwest  Baptist  Convention  was 
organized,  covering  the  field  of  Western  Washington  and 
British  Columbia.  The  entire  membership  of  the  churches 
at  this  date  was  about  2,000.  In  April,  1890,  Rev.  James 
Sunderland  became  general  missionary,  and  in  the  formative 
years  of  the  Convention  rendered  invaluable  service.  Late 
in  189 1  he  resigned  his  position  to  accept  the  office  of  dis- 
trict secretary  for  the  Pacific  Coast  District  of  the  Missionary 
Union.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  D.  D.  Proper,  who  came 
to  the  work  from  years  of  experience  in  Iowa  and  Kansas. 
He  did  a  large  and  abiding  work,  resigning  to  accept  a  sim- 
ilar work  in  Colorado  in  1897. 

Rev.  W.  E.  Randall  was  chosen  as  his  successor,  and  has 
carried  forward  the  work  witli  increased  volume  to  the  present 
time.  In  1897  the  churches  in  British  Columbia  withdrew 
and  organized  a  Convention  of  their  own,  in  co-operation 
with  their  brethren  of  eastern  provinces.  This  left  the 
Northwest  Convention  occupying  the  western  half  of  the 
State.  It  now  has  in  its  membership  seventy-six  churches 
with  3,881  members,  and  a  property  in  meeting-houses  val- 
ued at  ^145,000.  The  total  contributions  reported  during 
the  last  year  were  $28,775.  The  work  now  is  carried  on 
in  organized  form  among  the  Swedes,  Danes,  Norwegians, 
Germans,  Chinese,  and  Japanese,  as  well  as  in  American 
churches. 


I06  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE 

The  work  in  eastern  Washington  and  northern  Idaho  is 
closely  associated  in  its  beginnings  with  that  in  eastern  Ore- 
gon. The  first  work  of  which  any  record  has  been  preserved 
was  done  in  Walla  Walla  County,  in  the  vicinity  of  Walla 
Walla,  in  the  winter  of  1867  and  1868,  by  Noah  F.  Lieual- 
len,  Spencer  Neil,  and  A.  Land.  The  first  named  of  these 
brethren  organized  the  first  church  in  this  region  in  January, 
1868,  in  "The  Blue  Creek  Schoolhouse,"  and  the  church 
adopted  the  name  of  Friendship  Church.  Within  the  next 
two  years  the  Waitsburg,  the  Harmony,  and  the  Union 
churches  were  organized,  but  subsequently  the  membership 
scattered  and  all  these  churches  became  extinct.  In  1873 
Rev.  William  H.  Pruett  moved  from  the  Willamette  Val- 
ley, under  the  appointment  of  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society,  as  the  pioneer  missionary  for  eastern  Ore- 
gon, and  settled  at  Western.  In  the  course  of  his  journeyings 
he  visited  Dayton,  Washington,  and  there,  on  the  fourth  Sun- 
day of  July,  1873,  he  organized  the  Dayton  Baptist  Church, 
and  thus  began  the  permanent  and  continuous  history  of  our 
work  in  eastern  Wasliington.  A  house  of  worship  was  soon 
built  which,  after  some  years,  was  replaced  by  a  substantial 
brick  edifice  in  which  the  church  now  worships.  In  1875 
Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns  was  appointed  to  colporter  work  "north 
of  the  Snake  River."  During  the  same  year  Rev.  John 
Rexford  went  into  that  same  region,  and  in  Colfax,  on  July 
2,  1876,  he  organized  the  Colfax  Church  with  six  members. 
This  church  soon  became  and  has  continued  one  of  the  most 
influential  in  that  part  of  the  State.  On  August  6  of  that 
year  Mr.  Stearns  organized  the  Moscow  Church,  which  for 
some  years  met  in  the  country  and  was  called  the  Zion  Bap- 
tist Church.  During  the  next  four  years  churches  were  gath- 
ered at  Garfield  and  Walla  Walla,  and  in  1881,  Mr.  Stearns, 
in  company  with  Rev.  D.  J.  Pierce,  visited  the  little  village 
of  Spokane  Fahs.  In  a  short  time  Rev.  D.  W.  C.  Britt  was 
appointed  by  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  to 
this  field,  and  early  in  1882  gathered  a  small  church.  After 
the  completion  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  hne  this 
town  grew  rapidly  and  our  work  grew  with  it.  Though  suf- 
fering some  severe  reverses  our  cause  has  come  at  last  into  a. 
gratifying  degree  of  prosperity.  Grace  Church  has  been 
organized  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  and  a  Swedish  and 
a  Negro  church  have  b^en  recently  organized.  Prosperous 
missions  are  carried  on,  some  of  which  will  soon  be  brought 
to  church  organization. 

This  field  was  at  the  first  a  part  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE  ID/ 

Convention,  and  was  under  the  supervision  of  Rev.  J.  C. 
Baker.  When  Washington  was  separately  organized  this 
field  came  under  the  care  of  the  general  missionary  of  the 
State.  About  1890  Rev.  A.  M.  AUyn  was  made  district 
missionary  in  charge  of  this  field  and  upon  its  becoming  a 
separate  Convention  he  was  chosen  its  general  missionary,  and 
has  been  the  beloved  and  successful  worker  in  this  capacity 
to  the  present.  A  review  of  the  field  shows  it  to  have  at  the 
present  time  fifty-two  churches  and  2,600  members.  Of 
these,  forty  churches  and  2,123  rnembers  are  in  east  Wash- 
ington and  twelve  churches  and  437  members  are  in  north 
Idaho. 

Educational  work  on  this  field  began  at  Colfax,  Septem- 
ber II,  1878.  Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns  was  the  man  whose  faith 
saw  its  possibilities,  and  with  others  he  succeeded  in  estab- 
lishing Colfax  Academy.  In  1881  the  school  moved  into  its 
own  building,  which  was  an  annex  to  the  Baptist  meeting- 
house. In  1885  the  school  was  incorporated  as  a  college, 
and  in  1889  was  moved  into  a  new  four-story  frame  build- 
ing. While  it  has  done  a  considerable  work  it  has  not  been 
able  to  secure  any  endowment,  and  its  future,  for  this  reason, 
is  full  of  uncertainty. 

In  southern  and  eastern  Idaho  there  are  two  Associations, 
and  the  work  is  under  the  supervision  of  the  general  mis- 
sionary of  Montana.  Work  in  southern  Idaho  began  at 
Boise,  the  State  capital,  about  1862,  when  a  church  was  or- 
ganized largely  through  the  labors  of  Rev.  Hiram  Hamilton. 
For  some  years  the  work  made  but  Httle  progress,  but  with  the 
completion  of  the  Oregon  Short  Line  Railroad  population  be- 
gan to  increase  and  churches  were  organized  at  several  new 
points.  The  churches  of  the  Southern  Idaho  Association 
number  sixteen,  with  about  900  members.  There  are  ten 
meeting-houses  and  the  property  is  valued  at  about  ;^40,ooo. 
In  the  East  Idaho  Association  there  are  nine  churches  with 
above  300  members  and  a  property  valued  at  about  $16,000. 
The  work  in  these  two  Associations  is  new  and  the  churches 
are  widely  separated,  so  that  progress  is  difficult  and  slow. 
Only  one  of  the  twenty-five  churches  is  self-supporting,  and 
the  isolation  and  unresponsiveness  of  the  fields  are  such  as  to 
wear  out  pastors  in  a  brief  time.  Mormonism  is  largely  rep- 
resented in  this  part  of  the  State,  and  this  adds  difficulties 
many  and  peculiar  to  aggressive  work. 

We  come  now  to  the  beginnings  of  the  work  in  California. 
When  the  first  Baptist  may  have  reached  California  is  not 


I08  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE 

known.  Doubtless  in  the  early  forties  some  wandered  down 
that  way  from  Oregon  or  came  with  early  immigration  to  that 
State.  Under  the  appointment  of  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society,  in  1848,  Rev.  O.  C.  Wheeler  and 
his  wife  sailed  from  New  York  as  the  society's  first  mission- 
aries to  Cahfornia.  He  landed  in  San  Francisco  from  the 
"Cahfornia,"  the  first  steamer  to  pass  through  the  Golden 
Gate,  on  the  morning  of  February  28,  1849.  The  only  place 
in  the  city  where  Protestant  worship  was  held  was  in  a  small 
schoolhouse  near  one  corner  of  Portsmouth  Square.  Here 
Rev.  D.  T.  Hunt,  the  founder  of  Congregationalist  work  in 
San  Francisco,  was  maintaining  services.  On  March  18  Mr. 
Wheeler  began  pubhc  worship,  and  on  Friday  evening,  July 
6,  1849,  Lemuel  P.  Crane,  William  Lailie,  Charles  L.  Ross 
and  wife,  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wheeler,  united  themselves  in 
fellowship  as  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  San  Francisco.  On 
the  tenth  of  July  the  meeting-house  was  commenced.  It 
was  thirty  by  fifty  feet  in  size,  and  stood  on  a  lot  seventy-two 
by  137  feet.  The  house  was  built  of  scantling,  rough  siding, 
roof  of  ship's  sails,  ceiling  of  cotton  cloth.  The  lot  cost 
^10,000  and  the  house  as  described- cost  ;^6,ooo.  It  was 
completed  for  the  first  Sunday  in  August  and  was  the  first 
Protestant  house  of  worship  built  in  Cahfornia. 

On  September  2  the  first  new  members  were  received,  four 
coming  in  by  letter,  and  on  October  i  the  first  baptism  took 
place.  During  the  latter  part  of  this  month  a  "  society  "  was 
organized,  consisting  of  the  members  of  the  church  and  con- 
gregation, which  assumed  the  entire  support  of  their  pastor 
and  work,  thus  relieving  the  Home  Mission  Society  of  this 
expense.  The  salary  of  the  pastor  was  fixed  at  ^10,000  per 
year,  of  so  little  relative  value  was  gold  at  that  time  in  Cali- 
fornia. In  December  of  this  first  year  there  was  opened  in 
this  meeting-house  the  first  free  public  school  of  the  State, 
so  that  it  became  the  birthplace  not  only  of  a  true  line  of 
gospel  churches,  but  also  of  that  remarkably  efficient  system 
of  public  instruction  now  given  its  children  by  this  State.  In 
September,  1850,  the  Pine  Street  Church  was  organized, 
and  in  December,  1862,  the  Fifth  Street  Church  from  the 
membership  of  the  First.  Our  cause  is  now  represented  by 
three  American  churches,  one  German,  one  Swedish,  and 
one  Negro  church,  and  six  mission  Sunday-schools.  It  has 
had  its  dark  years  and  sad  reverses,  to  which  we  shall  not 
here  refer. 

The  second  Baptist  organization  to  be  effected  in  Cali- 
fornia  was  that   of  San   Jose  on  May  19,   1850,  with  eight 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE  IO9 

members.  Tlie  organization  was  the  work  of  Rev.  O.  C. 
Wheeler  while  he  was  yet  pastor  in  San  Francisco.  At  the 
second  meeting  of  the  church  four  new  members  were  re- 
ceived and  a  decision  was  reached  to  build  a  meeting-house. 
A  Sunday-school  for  the  home  church  and  a  mission-school 
at  Santa  Clara  were  also  determined  upon.  By  the  end  of 
December  a  lot  costing  $z,ooo  and  a  house  costing  ^900  had 
been  secured  and  regular  services  were  entered  upon.  In 
the  course  of  its  history  this  church  has  built  for  itself  four 
houses  of  worship,  dedicating  the  last  on  the  day  it  celebrated 
its  semi-centennial.  Eighteen  pastors  have  served  the  church, 
and  none  more  efficiently  than  the  present  incumbent,  Rev. 
T.  S.  Young.  From  this  church,  members  have  from  time  to 
time  been  dismissed  to  form  churches  at  Gilroy,  Los  Gatos, 
and  Santa  Clara,  besides  two  others  in  San  Jose  itself.  In 
this  city  Baptist  strength  is  now  represented  by  three  churches 
with  somewhat  less  than  600  members. 

In  Sacramento,  destined  to  become  the  capital  of  the 
State,  was  planted  the  third  Baptist  church  of  California. 
Rev.  J.  Cook  seems  to  have  come  to  this  town  in  1849  and 
to  have  opened  a  boarding  house,  preaching,  however,  to  his 
fellow-townsmen  "  in  the  grove."  Rev.  O.  C.  Wheeler  visited 
the  few  brethren  known  to  be  there  in  1850,  and  on  Sep- 
tember 4,  1850,  a  church  of  nineteen  members  was  organized 
in  the  house  of  Judge  E.  J.  WiUis,  and  on  the  following  day 
public  services  were  held  in  the  court-house.  In  the  spring 
of  185 1  a  house  of  worship  was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $4,000. 
In  November,  1852,  this  was  burned  in  the  great  fire  which 
swept  over  the  city,  but  the  church  built  a  second  house  at 
double  the  cost  of  the  first,  a  house  which  was  said  to  have 
been  the  best  in  the  State  at  the  time.  It  was  used  for 
twenty-five  years  and  then  was  sold  to  another  denomina- 
tion, which  still  uses  it.  The  church  then  built  its  third 
house  of  worship,  which  it  still  occupies.  Prior  to  this  last 
enterprise  it  had  dismissed  members  for  the  organization  of 
the  Calvary  Baptist  Church  of  the  same  city.  Since  this  two 
other  churches  have  been  organized  and  each  of  the  four 
has  a  good  house  of  worship. 

In  the  same  month  in  which  the  Sacramento  church  was 
organized  a  call  was  sent  out  by  the  San  Francisco  church  for 
the  organization  of  an  Association.  In  response  to  this  call, 
delegates  gathered  for  this  purpose,  and  on  the  26th  day  of 
October,  1850,  in  the  old  church  in  San  Francisco  was  organ- 
ized the  San  Francisco  Association.  Three  churches,  with  a 
total  membership  of  fifty-three,  was  its  entire  strength. 


I  10  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE 

Convention  organizations  had  as  varied  an  experience  in 
California  as  in  Oregon  and  for  much  the  same  reasons.  In 
June,  1852,  a  preliminary  organization  was  effected  of  the 
California  Baptist  Convention.  The  churches  were  twelve  in 
number  and  the  aggregate  membership  was  about  400.  The 
first  annual  meeting  of  the  Convention  was  at  Santa  Rosa. 
The  record  of  this  meeting  says  :  ' '  Initiatory  steps  were 
taken  for  the  thorough  exploration  of  the  State  with  a  view 
to  ascertain  and  provide  for  its  spiritual  necessities  as  ade- 
quately and  as  speedily  as  possible."  It  was  a  fitting  action, 
for  at  that  date  there  was  not  in  all  California  south  of  Stock- 
ton a  single  Baptist  church  and  no  Baptist  services  of  any 
sort  so  far  as  is  now  known. 

In  1854  the  Convention  met  in  Sacramento,  and  the  statis- 
tics show  seventeen  churches  in  the  State.  With  the  records 
of  this  meeting  of  the  Convention  are  the  minutes  of  an 
Educational  Society,  but  no  further  record  of  this  society 
appears  in  any  pubhshed  records  of  the  denomination. 
The  Convention  appointed  its  third  meeting  with  the  Pine 
Street  Church,  San  Francisco,  where  it  was  organized,  but 
there  are  no  pubhshed  minutes  extant,  and  it  is  probable 
that  the  Convention  did  not  meet  on  account  of  dissensions 
already  appearing  over  the  question  of  slavery.  In  the  min- 
utes of  the  San  Francisco  Association  for  1866  there  is  a 
record  of  the  prehminary  organization  of  a  second  State  Con- 
vention. D.  B.  Cheney,  d.  d.,  was  elected  president,  and 
O.  C.  Wheeler,  d.  d.  ,  secretary.  The  first  annual  meeting 
of  this  body  was  held  in  Marysville  in  1867.  This  Conven- 
tion met  annually  until  1881,  when  its  final  meeting  occurred 
at  Dixon.  A  considerable  number  of  delegates  present  at 
this  meeting,  under  the  leadership  of  Dr.  G.  S.  Abbott  and 
Dr.  S.  B.  Morse,  withdrew  and  organized  a  new  Convention. 
The  old  Convention  never  met  again  and  the  new  gradually 
drew  to  itself  all  the  churches  of  the  Stale,  and  continues  to 
this  time  under  the  title  of  the  General  Baptist  Convention 
of  Cahfornia.  No  general  missionary  was  put  into  the  field 
by  this  Convention  until  1886,  when  Rev.  W.  H.  Latourette 
was  chosen.  In  a  summary  given  by  him  when  he  closed  his 
work  some  ten  years  later,  he  shows  that  in  the  field  of  this 
Convention  there  were  in  1885  five  parsonages  and  forty-five 
church  buildings.  During  the  ten  years  of  his  service  seventy 
new  meeting-houses  were  completed,  of  which  the  Home 
Mission  Society  helped  to  build  thirty-seven  from  its  edifice 
fund.  The  Associations  had  increased  to  nine  and  the  mem- 
bership of  its  140  churches  aggregated  more  than  10,000,  with 


BAPTISTS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE  I  I  I 

a  church  property  vaUied  at  $430,000.  Rev.  Robert  Whita- 
ker  succeeded  to  the  work  of  general  missionary  in  Jan- 
uary, 1898,  and  carried  it  forward  most  vigorously  and  suc- 
cessfully. He  resigned  December,  1900,  and  Rev.  E.  R. 
Bennett  was  chosen  to  take  his  place.  No  other  special 
feature  of  the  history  of  this  Convention  needs  to  be  men- 
tioned save  the  division  of  its  territory,  effected  by  entire 
unanimity  and  concord  of  all  concerned,  into  two  Conven- 
tions. This  was  done  at  the  meeting  of  1891  and  for 
geographical  reasons  entirely.  The  Convention  of  Southern 
California  held  its  first  annual  meeting  with  the  First  Los 
Angeles  Church  in  1892. 

This  change  and  the  new  organization  for  southern  Cali- 
fornia will  allow  a  brief  review  of  the  organization  of  the 
work  in  that  part  of  the  State.  Prior  to  the  discovery  of  gold 
in  1848  there  was  no  English  speaking  population  in  southern 
CaUfornia.  In  1850  some  immigrants  came  and  among  them 
were  a  few  home  seekers.  Of  these  were  some  Baptists,  and 
of  them  was  R.  C.  Fryor.  In  1852  he  settled  at  El  Monte, 
and  in  1854  he  began  to  preach  for  this  church,  which  seems 
to  have  been  organized  during  October,  1853.  He  also 
preached  in  the  regions  adjacent  to  the  church  and  was  or- 
dained in  185  7,  being  the  first  man  ordained  to  the  Baptist 
ministry  in  California,  so  far  as  is  known.  Associated  with 
him  in  this  early  work  in  southern  California  were  Rev.  John 
Fuqua,  from  Texas,  and  Rev.  William  Freeman,  from  Missouri. 
In  1886,  thirteen  years  after  the  first  organization,  the  second 
church  was  organized  in  San  Bernardino.  Two  years  later 
three  others  were  organized,  but  not  until  1869  was  the  Los 
Angeles  Association  formed.  The  five  churches  entering 
into  the  organization  had  a  membership  of  118.  That  same 
year  the  San  Diego  Church  was  organized  and  for  eight  years 
enjoyed  the  services  of  Rev.  O.  W.  Gates  as  pastor.  The 
First  Church  of  Los  Angeles  was  the  tenth  in  order  of  organ- 
ization, occurring  in  September,  1874,  with  eleven  members. 
For  seven  years  this  church  knew  much  struggle  and  but  little 
growth.  In  August,  1881,  Rev.  P.  W.  Dorsey  became  pastor, 
and  in  three  years,  he  and  his  church  of  not  more  than  100 
members  had  dedicated  free  of  debt  a  meeting-house  costing 
$25,000.  The  church  has  made  large  growth  in  subsequent 
years  under  the  pastorates  of  Daniel  Read,  d.  d.,  and  its 
present  pastor,  Rev.  Joseph  Smale.  It  now  occupies  a  new 
property  on  Ninth  and  Flower  Streets,  costing  about  $45,000 
and  has  the  largest  membership  of  any  church  on  the  Pacific 
Slope  at  the  present  time.     Our  work  in  Los  Angeles  is  now 


112  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE 

the  most  important  in  the  Convention,  being  represented  by 
nine  churches  with  about  1,900  members,  and  owning  prop- 
erty vahied  at  ^100,000.  Three  other  Associations  have 
been  organized  in  this  portion  of  the  State,  the  Santa  Barbara 
in  1877,  the  Santa  Ana,  and  the  San  Diego  in  1891. 

Convention  work  in  southern  Cahfornia  dates  from  1892, 
when  the  State  was  amicably  divided  into  two  Convention 
fields.  During  all  these  years  the  work  has  been  under  the 
fostering  care  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society. 
The  Convention  now  comprises  sixty-five  churches  with  about 
6,500  members.  They  have  a  church  property  worth  $272,- 
000,  with  but  little  debt  on  their  buildings,  while  their  contri- 
butions reach  an  annual  aggregate  of  $60,000. 

Educational  effort  in  Cahfornia  dates  from  1870.  In  that 
year  an  educational  convention  was  held  in  Vacaville.  A 
Methodist  property  at  that  place  was  bought  at  once  and  a 
college  opened  under  the  presidency  of  Dr.  Mark  Bailey, 
A.  M.  He  served  two  years  and  was  succeeded  in  turn  by 
A.  S.  Worrell,  d.  d.,  Rev.  T.  W.  Green,  S.  A.  Taft,  d.  d., 
and  U.  Gregory,  d.  d.  By  1881  the  coUege  was  forced  from 
financial  considerations  to  close  its  doors.  But  the  educa- 
tional needs  of  the  field  were  discussed  from  year  to  year 
and  in  1886  a  building  costing  about  $10,000  was  erected  in 
East  Oakland  for  college  purposes.  S.  B.  Morse,  D.  d.  ,  was 
secured  to  lead  in  the  enterprise  and  soon  secured  two  ad- 
ditional buildings  and  the  beginning  of  an  endowment,  the 
whole  sum  being  about  $100,000. 

T.  G.  Brownson,  d.  d.,  was  called  from  McMinnville  to 
succeed  Doctor  Morse  at  his  death,  in  1897,  and  has  car- 
ried on  the  work  to  the  present  time.  The  years  of  finan- 
cial depression  have  been  very  trying  to  the  institution.  It 
is  now  engaged  in  an  effort  to  add  $10,000  to  its  funds  to 
meet  an  offer  of  $5,000  from  the  Education  Society.  Lo- 
cated in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  State  University,  at 
Berkeley,  and  but  forty  miles  distant  from  the  Leland  Stan- 
ford, Jr.,  University,  the  future  progress  of  the  college  can- 
not but  be  slow,  and  its  final  success  will  depend  entirely 
upon  the  loyalty  of  the  denomination  to  the  ideal  of  denomi- 
national education. 

In  southern  Cahfornia  denominational  educational  work 
was  begun  in  Los  Angeles  soon  after  1883,  the  Los  Angeles 
Association  having  appointed  a  committee  in  that  year  to  re- 
ceive propositions  from  towns  in  its  field  for  the  location  of 
the  school.  Rev.  Dr.  Shelton  was  the  first  president,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Reider,  and  he  was  followed 


BAPTISTS    OP'    THE    TACIFIC    SLOPE  II3 

by  Rev.  P.  W.  Doisey,  who  had  been  serving  as  pastor  of 
the  Los  Angeles  First  Church.  A  fine  property  and  two 
good  buildings  were  secured  in  the  western  part  of  Los  An- 
geles, and  for  a  few  years  a  school  was  maintained  with  much 
vigor.  But  the  plans  on  which  it  was  attempted  to  carry  the 
school  were  wider  than  the  income  warranted,  and  after  a 
time  increasing  debt  made  it  impossible  to  continue.  The 
property  has  been  leased  to  private  parties  for  some  five 
years,  and  the  outlook  for  an  early  resumption  of  a  scliool 
under  Baptist  control  is  not  bright.  The  campus  is  finely 
located  and  is  one  of  the  best  under  control  of  the  denom- 
ination on  the  coast.  It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  it  may 
not  be  used  for  the  object  for  which  it  was  originally  given. 

Arizona  is  missionary  and  frontier  ground  for  all  denom- 
inations. The  Roman  Cathohcs  established  one  or  two  mis- 
sions in  the  southern  part  of  the  Territory  among  the  Indian 
and  Mexican  population  at  about  the  same  period  of  similar 
work  in  Cahfornia.  What  pioneer  work  may  have  been  done 
prior  to  the  organization  of  our  first  church  in  that  Territory 
has  never  been  reported,  so  far  as  is  known.  Rev.  R.  A. 
Windes  organized  the  Prescott  Church  January  25,  1880,  with 
six  members.  In  August  of  the  same  year  a  meeting-house  was 
built  and  dedicated.  Brethren  J.  M.  Green,  C.  A.  Rice, 
Joseph  Smale,  and  Winfield  Scott  have  served  in  subsequent 
years  as  pastors.  The  Tucson  Church  was  gathered  by  Rev. 
U.  Gregory  in  1881,  and  was  organized  with  six  members 
April  7  of  that  year,  and  later  in  that  same  year  completed  an 
adobe  meeting-house  which  it  still  uses,  being  the  only  such 
house  on  the  Pacific  Slope.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  J.  B. 
Thomas.  At  Phoenix,  on  February  25,  1884,  Rev.  R.  Win- 
des organized  a  church  with  seven  members.  In  later  years 
churches  have  been  gathered  at  Tempe,  Buckeye,  Mesa,  and 
Cottonwood.  Organizations  existed  for  a  time,  and  houses 
were  built  at  Tombstone,  Jerome,  and  Globe,  but  they  became 
extinct  and  the  property  acquired  was  sold.  The  Phoenix 
Church  is  the  only  self-supporting  church  in  the  Territory. 
Associational  organization  was  attempted  several  times,  but 
seems  to  have  been  permanent  only  since  April,  1893. 
From  the  first  the  Home  Mission  Society  has  been  a  large 
supporter  of  the  work  and  is  now  giving  help  to  each  settled 
pastor,  save  at  Phoenix.  The  work  is  under  the  general  care 
of  the  general  missionary  of  southern  California.  In  this 
capacity  Rev.  W.  W.  Tinker  for  a  time,  and  later  Rev.  C.  T. 
Douglass,  have  rendered  valuable  service. 

H 


114  BAPTISTS    OF    THE    PACIFIC    SLOPE 

There  are  now  eight  Baptist  churches  in  the  Territory  with 
about  350  members.  The  white  population  is  about  98,000. 
Of  these,  15,000  are  Catholics  and  10,000  Mormons.  Of 
all  the  remainder  it  is  estimated  that  only  about  3,000  are 
professing  Christians,  and  but  a  Httle  more  than  one-tenth  of 
this  number  are  enrolled  in  the  membership  of  our  churches 
as  now  organized.  There  are  known  to  be  more  than  100 
Baptists  in  several  towns  where  we  have  not  yet  been  able  to 
organize  churches.  When  the  Home  Mission  Society  shall 
be  able  to  somewhat  increase  its  appropriation  for  work  in 
Arizona  the  work  may  be  enlarged. 

Space  allowed  for  this  chapter  does  not  permit  a  presenta- 
tion of  organized  women's  work  on  the  Pacific  Slope.  Nor 
can  anything  be  said  of  the  beginnings  and  growth  of  Sun- 
day-school or  colportage  work,  or  other  special  lines  of  work 
carried  on  at  the  present  time  by  Baptists.  Nor  yet  can 
any  space  be  given  to  the  large  contribution  of  Baptists  to 
civil  and  domestic  history.  The  total  achievements  of  our 
history  for  fifty-six  years  on  the  Pacific  Slope  may  not  be 
gathered  into  any  satisfactory  summary.  Our  churches  num- 
ber 510,  with  a  membership  of  about  34,000,  and  our  de- 
nominational investment  in  property,  including  our  school 
properties,  aggregates  not  less  than  ^1,650,000.  This  very 
inadequately  sets  forth  our  denominational  achievement  and 
progress.  No  agency  outside  our  borders  has  had  so  large 
a  place  in  the  denominational  achievement  as  that  of  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  But  this  will  be 
told  elsewhere,  and  we  must  pass  it  with  this  simple  heartfelt 
acknowledgment. 

The  story  of  the  struggle  of  the  churches  in  the  West  is  the 
story  of  a  great  tragedy  on  the  part  of  both  pastors  and  their 
people  ;  but  it  is  through  successive  tragedies  that  men  do 
arrive  and  attain.  The  footprints  of  civilization  were  made 
by  the  feet  of  the  men  who  stood  beautiful  upon  the  wild 
prairies  and  high  mountain  tops  of  the  West  bringing  good 
tidings  and  publishing  peace;  that  cried  unto  Zion,  "Thy 
God  reigneth." 

C.   A.   WOODDY. 


X 


THE  GERMAN,  SCANDINAVIAN,  DUTCH,  HUNGA- 
RIAN, SLAVIC,  ESTHONIAN,  AND  FINNISH 
BAPTISTS  IN  EUROPE  AND  AMERICA 


The  movement  for  Baptist  principles  and  practices  among 
the  Teutonic  and  Slavic  peoples  in  Europe  and  America  is 
scarcely  seventy  years  old,  and  for  about  fifteen  years  after  its 
inception  was  confined  to  Germany.  Generally  speaking  the 
movement  which  we  are  to  describe  is  one  of  the  past  fifty 
years. 

I,    THE  GERMAN  BAPTISTS. 

I.  The  Baptist  Churches  in  the  German  Empire.  The  first 
Baptist  church  on  the  continent  of  Europe  was  organized  at 
Hamburg,  Germany,  April  23,  18^4,  and  was  composed  of 
seven  persons.  The  steps  which  led  to  this  organization 
were  quite  as  providential  as  was  the  event  itself  The  leader 
of  this  httle  band  of  seven  was  Johann  Gerhard  Oncken,  an 
able,  courageous,  and  devoted  man  of  God  who,  according  to 
his  own  statement,^  had  come  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  of 
believers'  baptism  and  the  New  Testament  idea  of  a  church 
solely  from  the  study  of  the  word  of  God  many  years  before 
he  had  an  opportunity  to  submit  to  the  rite  of  baptism  him- 
self Oncken' s  great  native  ability,  his  winning  personality, 
his  deep  piety,  his  energy  and  enthusiasm  soon  drew  to  the 
new  movement  men  of  hke  stamp  and  devotion,  among  the 
earlier  of  whom  were  Julius  Kobner  and  Gottfried  Wilhelm 
Lehmann.  And  the  quiet,  but  shining  lives  of  the  rank  and 
file  who  joined  themselves  to  them  from  personal  conviction, 
oftentimes  after  much  soul  conflict,  lent  the  movement  un- 
usual strength  among  the  common  people. 

It  was  exceedingly  fortunate  for  the  Baptist  work  in  Ger- 
many that  such  material  went  into  it  at  the  outset,  for  nothing 
but  this  deep,  personal  religious  conviction  and  this  fidelity 
to  the  word  of  God  could  have  made  any  impression  on  a 

1  Lehmann,  "  Geschichte  der  deutschen  Baptisten,"  Theil  I.,  Seit.  44-49. 

115 


Il6     GERMAN,    SCANDINAVIAN,    DUTCH,    HUNGARIAN, 

people  like  the  Germans,  whose  spiritual  and  religious  life 
had  been  stunted  and  made  almost  impervious  by  years  of 
training  in  formalism  and  infidelity.  Aside  from  the  blessing 
of  God,  these  human  factors  must  be  looked  upon  as  account- 
ing in  a  very  large  measure  for  the  subsequent  numerical 
growth  of  the  German  Baptists  in  spite  of  the  most  unfavor- 
able outward  circumstances.  The  little  band  of  seven  has 
now  increased  to  28,898  in  the  German  Empire  alone,  and 
that  first  church  at  Hamburg  has  grown  to  155  churches, 
which  together  sustain  715  preaching  stations. 

These  churches  are  scattered^  over  the  whole  empire, 
being  most  numerous  in  Prussia^  and  least  numerous  in  the 
States  of  southern  Germany.  In  the  larger  cities  of  northern 
and  eastern  Prussia  there  seems  to  have  been  the  greatest 
success.  In  Berlin  there  are  four  churches,  with  a  combined 
membership  of  2,594  ;  in  Hamburg  and  its  suburbs  there  are 
four  churches  which  together  have  more  than  1,300  mem- 
bers ;  Konigsberg  has  two  churches  with  2,000  members. 
There  is  a  Baptist  church  in  nearly  every  large  city  of  the 
empire,  some  newly  planted  and  still  struggling  for  an  exist- 
ence, others  of  considerable  strength  and  great  promise  for 
future  usefulness. 

The  Baptist  churches  in  Germany  are  organized  into  eight 
Associations.  They  also  have  one  national  organization, 
called  the  Bundes-Konferenz,  which  meets  triennially  and 
is  perhaps  the  most  democratic  body  in  our  denomination. 
This  Conference  has  jurisdiction  over  the  missionary,  benev- 
olent, educational,  and  publication  interests  of  the  German 
churches. 

Baptists  have  been  pioneers  ^  in  the  Sunday-school  work  in 
Germany,  and  have  always  given  it  much  attention  ;  they 
have  at  present  417  schools  and  18,237  scholars.  They  have 
separate  societies  for  their  young  men  and  young  women. 
There  are  also  women's  missionary  societies  and  societies  for 
the  distribution  of  tracts  in  very  many  churches.  The  rank 
and  file  of  the  membership  is  still  largely  composed  of  arti- 
sans and  peasants,  but  there  is  also  a  fair  representation  of 
the  mercantile  and  professional  classes. 

In  addition  to  their  home  work,   German  Baptists  have 

1  The  statistics  of  all  the  churches  belonging  to  the  German  Bund  are  published 
yearly  by  Prof.  J.  G.  Lehmann,  of  the  Baptist  Theological  Seminary  at  Hamburg.  The 
last  volume  contains  sixty  pages  and  is  exceedingly  interesting  and  full. 

2  In  Prussia  there  are  24,884  members,  or  about  six-sevenths  of  the  entire  member- 
ship. 

3  It  was  through  Oncken's  influence  that  the  first  Sunday-school  was  organized  at 
Hamburg,  in  January,  1825.  See  Lehmann,  "  Geschichte  der  deut.  Baptisten,"  Theil 
I.,  Seit.  29. 


SLAVIC,    ESTHONIAN,    AND    FINNISH    BAPTISTS        117 

been  led  in  the  providence  of  God,  since  1891,  to  go  to  the 
regions  beyond.  They  now  sustain  a  prosperous  mission  in 
the  Cameroons,  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa,  where  they  have 
succeeded  in  gathering  2,142  converts.  They  sustain  nine 
European  missionaries  and  about  fifty  native  helpers. 

From  the  inception  of  the  work  in  Germany  much  use  has 
been  made  of  the  printing  press  in  disseminating  the  truths 
for  which  the  Baptists  stood.  Oncken  began  to  publish  tracts 
on  the  necessity  of  conversion,  on  the  evils  of  infant  baptism, 
and  like  subjects.  These  tracts  have  had  a  wide  circulation 
and  are  still  being  published.  Special  attention  was  also 
given  at  first  to  missionary  subjects,  and,  when  Baptists 
finally  obtained  freedom,  they  began  the  creating  of  a  de- 
nominational literature.  The  publication  interests  of  the 
Baptists  in  Germany  are  now  centralized  and  in  the  property 
of  an  incorporated  society  representing  the  churches.  The 
headquarters  remained  at  Hamburg  until  the  spring  of  1899, 
when  they  were  removed  to  Cassel,  where  the  society  now 
occupies  its  own  new  building,  put  up  at  an  expense  of  $60,- 
000.      Here  are  published  five  papers. 

Not  so  easy  was  it  for  the  German  brethren  to  establish  a 
theological  school.  Up  to  1880,  when  the  present  seminary 
at  Hamburg  was  opened,  theological  instruction  of  the  most 
elementary  character  was  given  for  a  few  months  each  year. 
Now  the  seminary  has  a  suitable  building  at  Horn,  a  suburb 
of  Hamburg,  has  a  four  years'  course  of  instruction,  two 
theological  professors,  and  the  past  year  had  thirty-one  stu- 
dents.     It  has,  as  yet,  no  endowment. 

Much  has  already  been  written  ^  concerning  the  sacrifices, 
pecuniary  and  otherwise,  which  have  made  the  triumphs  of 
the  Baptists  in  Germany  possible,  and  a  slight  reference  to 
them,  even  in  a  sketch  as  brief  as  this  one,  seems  to  be  in 
order.  German  Baptists  have  certainly  furnished  their  quota 
of  the  martyrs  of  our  century.  Beginning  with  Oncken,  many 
of  their  number  have  languished  in  prisons,  have  had  their 
property  confiscated  to  pay  the  fines  which  an  intolerant 
government  laid  upon  them,  and  have  suffered  violence  from 
mobs  ;  some  have  even  hud  their  infants  torn  from  them  to 
be  "christened"  by  the  clergy  of  the  State  Church.  Hap- 
pily these  conditions  do  not  obtain  to-day,  but  the  struggles 
and  agony  of  the  days  of  persecution  cannot  well  be  for- 
gotten. 

The   "work-field"  of  Baptists  in  Germany  is  practically 

1  See  accurate  accounts  in  Lehmann' s  "  Gesc/tz'c/iie  efer  tfeiti.  Baptisten,"  Theil\. 
The  persecutions  since  1851  are  tabulated  in  Theil  II.,  Seit.  107-126. 


Il8     GERMAN,    SCANDINAVIAN,    DUTCH,    HUNGARIAN, 

limitless,  and  the  churches  at  the  beginning  of  the  twentieth 
century  stand  splendidly  equipped  for  aggressive  missionary 
work.  We  can  surely  hope  for  great  results  in  the  century 
before  us. 

2.  German  Baptists  in  Aiistria-Hiingaiy,  Rouinania,  and 
Switzerland.  A  work  of  grace  of  the  depth  and  power  like  the 
one  we  have  just  been  describing  could  not  be  confined  within 
the  borders  of  Germany.  As  early  as  1846,  Baptists  found 
an  entrance  in  that  stronghold  of  Romanism,  Austria,  through 
the  instrumentality  of  a  i&w  Austrians  who  had  been  bap- 
tized by  Mr.  Oncken  at  Hamburg.  They  chose  Vienna  for 
their  headquarters,  and  diligently  distributed  copies  of  the 
New  Testament  and  tracts.  They  were  left  undisturbed  for 
about  three  years,  the  work  meanwhile '  progressing.  In 
1849,  however,  repressive  measures  of  a  very  violent  char- 
acter were  adopted  by  the  government,  and  for  about  twenty 
years  all  aggressive  work  was  impossible.  The  oldest  and 
strongest  German  Baptist  church  is  at  Vienna,  which  has  five 
preaching  stations  and  a  present  membership  of  221.  There 
are  five  other  German  churches  in  the  empire,  one  of  which 
is  at  Budapest  in  Hungary.  Several  of  the  Hungarian 
churches,  of  which  mention  will  be  made  later,  have  German 
members  also.  The  present  number  of  German  Baptists  in 
Austria-Hungary  is  816.  They  enjoy  a  fair  measure  of  re- 
hgious  freedom,  but  there  are  laws  still  in  force  which  inter- 
fere greatly  with  their  work. 

German  Baptists  entered  Roumania  when  that  country  was 
still  under  Turkish  rule,  through  a  colporter  from  Hungary, 
who  began  his  labors  among  the  small  number  of  German 
Protestants  there  in  1856.  His  labors  were  so  successful 
that  Oncken  sent  a  missionary  who,  in  1869,  formed  a  church 
at  Katalni,  which  has  proved  to  be  a  veritable  haven  of  rest 
for  the  exiled  Baptists  from  Russia.  It  now  has  about  290 
members.  Another  church  is  at  Bukarest,  and  still  another 
at  Tultscha,  on  the  Russian  frontier.  This  latter  church  has 
a  mixed  membership  of  Russians  and  Germans,  and  is  pre- 
sided over  by  Rev.  Vasili  Pavloff,  one  of  the  most  faithful 
and  successful  of  the  early  Russian  Baptists. 

Baptists  have  not  had,  up  to  this  time,  that  degree  of 
success  in  the  Protestant  cantons  of  Switzerland  which  has 
attended  their  work  elsewhere.  The  earliest  beginning  was 
made  in  Zurich  in  1849,  where  the  church  now  numbers  268 
members.      There  are  altogether  eight  Baptist  churches  in 

1  The  first  baptism  in  Austria  occurred  at  Vienna,  Oct.  28,  1847. 


SLAVIC,    ESTHONIAN,    AND    FINNISH    BAPTISTS        IIQ 

different  parts  of  German  Switzerland  with  a  combined  mem- 
bership of  780. 

3.  The  German  Baptists  in  Russia.  In  Russia,  as  in 
Austria-Hungary,  Germans  form  a  considerable  segment  of 
the  population.  They  are  specially  numerous  in  Poland,  in 
the  province  of  Wolhynia  in  western  Russia,  and  in  the 
provinces  of  Kief  and  Cherson  in  southern  Russia.  To 
these  provinces  they  have  migrated  in  large  numbers  since 
1861,  when,  by  reason  of  the  abolition  of  serfdom,  the  vast 
landed  estates  in  these  parts  of  Russia  were  opened  to  set- 
tlers. The  Germans  keep  up  their  language  and  their  social 
and  religious  customs,  although  of  late  years  the  Russian 
government  has  made  the  Russian  language  compulsory  in 
their  schools  too. 

The  beginning  of  a  Baptist  interest  among  the  Germans 
in  Poland  was  made  in  1858,  when  a  German  Baptist  clergy- 
man from  Prussia,  by  the  name  of  Weist,  baptized  nine  con- 
verts near  Warsaw,  thereby  laying  the  foundation  for  an  en- 
terprise which  has  proved  successful  beyond  all  expectations. 
Indeed,  when  all  the  circumstances  are  taken  into  account, 
we  may  confidently  say  that  this  mission  has  been  even  more 
successful,  at  least  in  gathering  converts,  than  has  the  work 
in  Germany.  The  chief  reason  for  this  success  undoubtedly 
is  the  deplorable  religious  condition^  which  obtained  in  these 
parts,  and  against  this  background  the  new  spiritual  life  of  the 
Baptists  shone  most  brilliantly.  Formalism  had  made  the 
people  hungry  for  better  food. 

The  German  Baptists  in  Russia  now  have  a  membership 
of  13,567  gathered  in  forty-one  churches,  which  together 
have  376  preaching  stations.  They  are  organized  into  three 
Associations — one  for  Poland,  another  for  western  Russia, 
and  the  third  for  south  Russia.  There  are  also  four  German 
churches  in  the  Baltic  provinces,  not  included  in  the  forego- 
ing, which  have  a  combined  membership  of  410  ;  one  of 
these  is  at  St.  Petersburg.  The  German  churches  in  Russia 
were  formerly  in  organic  connection  with'  their  sister  churches 
in  Germany,  but  for  good  reasons  they  separated  in  1888. 
They  have  a  denominational  paper  of  their  own  called  '^Der 
Hausfreund. ' ' 

All  this  success  has  not  l)een  attained  without  great  sacri- 
fices on  the  part  of  the  early  leaders.  The  persecutions  of 
Alf,  who  belonged  to  the  first  nine  converts  baptized  by 
Weist  in  1858,  Wolf,  Ewert,  Besel,  and  Aschendorff  have  no 

1  See  Lehmann,  "  Geschichte  der  dent.  Bafiiisten,"  Theil  I.,  Seit.  233,  for  reports  of 
the  early  colporters  who  labored  in  this  section. 


I20     GERMAN,    SCANDINAVIAN,    DUTCH,     HUNGARIAN, 

parallel  in  modern  Baptist  history.^  Since  1878  German 
Baptists  have  enjoyed  religious  freedom  in  Russia,  and  their 
work  is  constantly  growing. 

4.  The  Germaji  Baptists  in  North  America.  The  plant- 
ing of  German  Baptist  churches  in  our  own  country  was  not 
due  to  any  considerable  extent  to  immigration  of  German 
Baptists  from  the  Fatherland,  although  this  immigration, 
when  it  set  in  about  the  middle  of  our  century,  strengthened 
the  German  churches  that  had  already  been  formed  here. 
In  a  very  few  cases,  also,  where  the  German  brethren  came 
over  in  larger  numbers  and  settled  in  one  center,  they  formed 
a  church.  The  German  Baptist  churches  in  our  country  are 
rather,  in  their  inception  as  well  as  in  their  present  character, 
the  result  of  a  larger  movement  in  which  other  evangelical 
denominations  have  also  participated,  the  object  of  which 
was,  and  still  is,  to  bring  the  vast  number  of  Germans  who 
have  made  their  permanent  home  here,  to  accept  a  personal 
vital  Christianity  in  place  of  the  formalism  or  infidelity  in 
which  they  had  been  trained  in  Germany.  To  this  end  the 
German  language  has  been  employed  in  this  work,  because  it 
has  proved  thus  far  the  best  medium  to  attain  the  end  sought 
for. 

Between  1839  and  185 1  several  independent  beginnings 
were  made  in  different  parts  of  our  country  to  establish  Bap- 
tist churches  for  the  German  people.  In  1839  a  German 
itinerant  missionary  from  Switzerland,  Rev.  Conrad  Fleisch- 
mann,  baptized  three  Germans  in  Newark,  N.  J.,  but  a  Bap- 
tist church  was  not  organized  there  until  1849.  Fleischmann 
then  went  into  Pennsylvania  and  succeeded  in  gathering  three 
small  German  churches  in  Lycoming  County  in  1841.  In 
1843  he  organized  a  church  of  baptized  believers  in  Phila- 
delphia, in  which  city  he  remained,  and  where  he,  as  a  result 
of  a  more  intimate  association  with  American  Baptists,  soon 
found  himself  fully  in  accord  with  the  teachings  of  our  de- 
nomination. The  church  he  founded  in  Philadelphia  is  the 
first  German  Baptist  church  in  our  country.  The  three  small 
churches  in  Lycoming  County,  with  which  he  continued  to 
sustain  fraternal  relations,  joined  the  Baptists  in  1854.  An- 
other German  church  was  organized  in  New  York  City  in 
1846  through  the  efforts  of  a  German  missionary,  also  from 
Switzerland,  who  was  sustained  by  the  wise  direction  and 
pecuniary  help  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety.     At  about  the  same  time,  some  German  Baptists  from 

'  See  especially  a  book,  which  is  as  interesting  as  it  is  rare,  "  Geschichte  der  Bap- 
tisten  in  Russisch-Polen  "  :   pp.  163-250  give  an  account  of  these  persecutions. 


SLAVIC,    ESTHONIAN,    AND    FINNISH    BAPTISTS        12  1 

Eastern  Prussia,  driven  hither  by  persecution,  formed  a  few 
churches  in  Wisconsin.  In  1849  a  colporter  in  the  employ 
of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  succeeded  in 
gathering  a  few  German  converts  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  This 
colporter  had  been  converted  and  baptized  in  an  English- 
speaking  Baptist  church.  Other  beginnings  were  made  at 
Springfield,  111. ;  St.  Louis,  Mo. ;  Rochester,  N.  Y.  ;  and 
Bridgeport,  Ontario,  about  this  time. 

In  185 1  the  first  successful  attempt  was  made  to  bring 
together  into  one  organization  for  fraternal  counsel  and  more 
aggressive  work,  the  few  feeble  German  churches  which  were 
then  scattered  over  our  country  from  New  York  to  St.  Louis. 
At  this  time  there  were  eight  churches  with  a  total  member- 
ship of  405.  The  eight  churches  have  since  that  time  grown 
to  250  and  the  membership  to  about  23,000.  These 
churches  are  now  scattered  over  our  entire  country  and  have 
overleaped  its  boundary  at  the  northwest,  so  that  German 
Baptist  churches  can  to-day  be  found  in  the  British  provinces 
as  far  northward  as  German  immigration  has  gone. 

The  churches  we  are  speaking  of  are  splendidly  organized 
for  effective  missionary  work.  They  have  formed  seven 
yearly  Conferences  which  are  in  effect  so  many  missionary 
societies,  as  to  each  of  them  is  entrusted  a  definitely  pre- 
scribed "work-field."  There  is  also  a  General  Conference, 
which  meets  triennially  and  which  has  immediate  supervision 
of  the  entire  publication,  educational,  and  missionary  in- 
terests. 

The  headquarters  for  the  publications  of  the  German  Bap- 
tist churches  are  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  there  are  pub- 
lished a  weekly  paper  for  the  family,  a  monthly  for  young 
people,  a  monthly  four-page  tract,  and  three  Sunday-school 
papers,  all  of  them  in  the  German  language. 

The  theological  school  is  at  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  where  it  has 
been  since  1852.  This  has  a  course  of  instruction  extending 
over  six  years,  wholly  distinct  from  the  course  in  Rochester 
Theological  Seminary,  of  which  it  is  a  part.  It  has  a  faculty 
of  five  teachers  and  last  year  had  forty-four  students  for  the 
ministry. 

Two  factors  have  been  especially  potent  in  the  work  the 
German  Baptist  churches  have  been  called  upon  to  do  in  our 
country,  and  to  these  the  results  that  have  been  achieved 
must  in  a  great  measure  be  ascribed  :  the  aggressive  mission- 
ary spirit  in  the  churches,  and  the  ever-ready  pecuniary  help 
of  American  Baptists. 

5.    German  Baptists  in  South  Africa,  Australia,  and  South 


122     GERMAN,    SCANDINAVIAN,    DUTCH,    HUNGARIAN, 

America.  As  early  as  1861  a  number  of  German  Baptists  from 
Stettin  and  Templin,  in  Prussia,  migrated  to  Cape  Colony, 
where  they  organized  a  church  and  began  aggressive  work 
among  the  large  numbers  of  their  countrymen,  who,  like  them- 
selves, had  gone  to  South  Africa  for  a  new  home.  In  1863 
they  had  increased  to  four  churches  and  the  membership  to 
160.  For  a  short  time  they  carried  on  a  mission  for  the 
Kaffirs  at  King  William's  Town,  but  owing  to  alack  of  means 
this  was  given  up.  There  are  at  present  seven  German  Bap- 
tist churches  in  South  Africa,  one  of  which  is  at  Johannes- 
burg, in  the  Transvaal.  There  is  also  a  Dutch  Baptist  church 
at  Sugarloaf  These  eight  churches  have  a  membership  of 
1,292. 

Austraha  has  thus  far  not  received  German  immigrants  in 
large  numbers,  but  there  are  four  small  German  churches  of 
our  faith  there,  with  a  total  membership  of  350. 

A  considerable  number  of  Germans  have  gone  in  recent 
years  to  the  southern  part  of  Brazil.  In  Porto  Alegre,  capi- 
tal of  the  Brazilian  State  of  Rio  Grande  de  Sul,  there  are 
15,000  Germans  out  of  an  entire  population  of  100,000.  A 
German  Baptist  church  was  formed  here  in  1898  by  eight 
members  coming  from  various  parts  of  Germany  and  Russia. 
The  church  now  numbers  thirty-five.  At  Linha  Formosa 
there  is  a  church  of  forty  members  and  another  one  is  at 
Jjahy.  This  latter  church  is  composed  mostly  of  Letts.  The 
German  Baptists  in  the  United  States  have  recently  sent  an 
evangelist  to  these  three  churches,  whose  visit  has  greatly 
strengthened  them,  and  whose  reports  as  to  the  outlook  for 
future  work  in  Brazil  and  Argentina  are  very  encouraging. 

II.    THE   SCANDINAVIAN    BAPTISTS. 

I.  The  Danish  Baptists.  Denmark  was  the  first  of  the 
European  countries  into  which  the  Baptist  movement  entered 
from  Germany.  Rev.  Julius  Kobner,  one  of  the  pioneers  in 
the  German  work,  himself  a  native  Dane,  while  on  a  visit  to 
Copenhagen  in  1838  found  a  company  of  Danish  Christians 
that  had  become  dissatisfied  with  the  formal  Christianity  of 
the  Lutheran  State  Church,  and  was  led  to  discuss  with  them 
the  subject  of  believers'  baptism.  As  a  result  of  much  search- 
ing of  the  Scriptures,  eleven  of  them  were  baptized  the  year 
following  by  Kobner  and  Oncken,  and  the  first  Baptist  church 
in  Denmark  was  organized  at  the  capital.  Persecution  im- 
mediately set  in  and  assumed  so  violent  a  form  that  it  attracted 
attention  in  England  and  America,  and  at  various  times  dele- 
gations of  Baptists  from  these  countries  endeavored  to  inter- 


SLAVIC,    ESTHONIAN,    AND    FINNISH    BAPTISTS        1 23 

cede  with  the  Danish  government  in  their  behalf.  It  was 
not  until  about  1850  that  the  Danish  Baptists  obtained  free- 
dom of  worship. 

The  progress  of  the  Danish  Baptists  has  been  somewhat 
slow,  partly  on  account  of  the  repressive  measures  of  the  gov- 
ernment, and  partly  on  account  of  the  temperament  of  the 
Danish  people,  who  are  confessedly  slower  in  appropriating  to 
themselves  new  truths  than  are  their  northern  neighbors,  the 
Swedes.  The  lack  of  a  sufficiently  large  number  of  educated 
and  capable  leaders,  in  the  formative  period  of  their  exist- 
ence, may  also  be  a  reason  for  the  relatively  slower  progress 
of  these  churches.  The  German  brethren,  notably  Kobner, 
did  much  to  help  on  the  work,  but  the  constantly  expanding 
work  in  Germany  claimed  their  first  attention.  In  1884  the 
Scandinavian  department  of  the  then  INIorgan  Park  Seminary 
began  to  send  a  number  of  educated  pastors  to  Denmark  to 
.  serve  the  churches,  and  their  services  were  greatly  appre- 
ciated. Since  1895  the  Danes  have  undertaken  to  establish 
and  maintain  a  theological  school  of  their  own,  under  the 
leadership  of  Rev.  P.  Olsen,  the  school  having  at  the  start 
ten  students. 

The  numerical  increase  of  the  Baptists  in  Denmark  can  be 
seen  from  the  following  figures  :  They  now  have  twenty-eight 
churches  and  4,008  members  ;  4,014  pupils  are  reported  to 
be  in  their  Sunday-schools.  They  publish  a  number  of  pa- 
pers and  have  an  enterprising  tract  society. 

2.  The  Norwegian  Baptists.  It  is  difficult  to  state  just 
when  Baptists  began  missionary  work  in  Norway,  but  the 
records  say  that  German  Baptist  colporters  were  at  work  there 
as  early  as  1840.  The  first  Baptist  church  was  organized  in 
1842,  but  since  that  time  the  progress  has  been  slow.  In 
Christiania,  the  capital,  there  is  a  Baptist  church  numbering 
upward  of  200  members  ;  the  church  at  Frederickshold  is 
even  stronger.  At  Tromsoe,  north  of  the  Arctic  Circle,  there 
is  a  church  of  154  members,  to  which  some  have  pointed  as 

<in  example  that  immersion  can  successfully  be  performed, 
even  in  a  rigid  northern  climate.  There  are  at  present  thirty- 
two  Baptist  churches  in  Norway,  wnth  about  the  same  number 
of  pastors  and  helpers,  and  a  combined  membership  of  2,671. 
They  have  a  Conference  which  meets  yearly. 

3.  The  Daiw-Nonuegian  Baptists  in  the  United  States. 
The  persecution  of  Baptists  in  Denmark  is  primarily  a  cause 
for  the  earliest  beginning  of  Danish  Baptist  churches  in  our 
own  country.  As  early  as  1853  ten  Baptists  from  Denmark 
settled   in   the  neighborhood   of  Racine,   Wisconsin,  which 


124     GERMAN,    SCANDINAVIAN,    DUTCH,    HUNGARIAN, 

number  was  increased  the  following  year  by  further  immigra- 
tion. In  1856  they  formed  themselves  into  what  is  known 
as  the  first  Danish  Baptist  church  in  America.  In  the  early 
sixties  several  other  beginnings  were  made  in  other  parts  of 
Wisconsin  and  in  Minnesota,  in  which  some  men  were  promi- 
nent who  had  been  successfully  identified  with  the  work  in 
Denmark.  At  Chicago,  111.,  to  which  place  Scandinavian 
mimigration  was  being  directed  at  that  time,  a  Danish  church 
of  twenty  members  was  organized  in  1864. 

The  earliest  known  beginning  of  a  Norwegian  interest  in 
our  country  is  the  effort  a  Rev.  Hans  Valder  made  at  In- 
dian Creek,  111.,  in  1848,  which  resulted  in  the  formation  of 
a  Baptist  church.  Other  beginnings  were  made  at  a  later 
tune,  of  which,  however,  space  forbids  any  mention. 

The  Danish  and  Norwegian  Baptists  in  our  country  readily 
affiliate  with  one  another  because  of  the  great  similarity  of 
their  respective  languages  and  also  because  they  are  able,  by 
thus  combining  their  strength  in  many  localities,  to  keep  up 
their  church  organization.  They  have  also  adopted  the  same 
course  with  reference  to  their  Associations  or  Conferences,  of 
which  there  now  are  seven.  They  are  numerically  strongest 
in  Minnesota,  where  the  Dano-Norwegian  Conference  num- 
bers twenty-two  churches,  which  have  a  membership  of  1,409. 
They  have  churches  also  in  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  Illinois,  South 
and  North  Dakota,  Nebraska,  and  on  the  Western  slope  in 
Oregon,  California,  and  Washington.  Their  present  strength 
in  our  country  to-day  is  eighty-six  churches,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  4,884.  The  Dano-Norwegian  department  of  the 
Divinity  School  of  the  University  of  Chicago  supphes  their 
churches  with  pastors  and  missionaries. 

4.    The  Baptists  in  Siuedoi.      Nowhere  on  the  continent 
of  Europe  has  the  success  of  the  Baptists  in  this  past  century 
been   so  gratifying  as  in  Sweden.      A  feeble  beginning  was 
made  in  1848,  when  five  persons  were  baptized  near  Gothen- 
burg by  a  Baptist  minister  from   Denmark  named  Forster. 
Now,  after  fifty-one  years,  this  small  company  has  increased 
to  4o,759>  and  this  one  church  has  grown  to  564  churches. 
In   1898  upward  of  3,000  were  added  by  baptism,  showing 
that  the  successful  work  is  still  going  on. 
)i     Various  reasons  have  been  given  for  this  rapid  advance 
I   of  the  Baptists  in  Sweden,  among  them  the  following  :  First, 
that  the  Swedish  people  are  more  pious  tlian  are  the  people 
of  central  and  southern  Europe  and  less  hostile  to  the  recep- 
tion of  new  truths  ;  secondly,  that  when  the  Swedish  move- 
ment began,  the    Baptists   of  Denmark  and   Germany  had 


SLAVIC,    ESTHONIAN,    AND    FINNISH    BAPTISTS        1 25 

already  shown  continental  Europe  that  the  Baptists  were  not 
the  people  their  enemies  had  represented  them  to  be,  and 
that  this  fact  had  great  weight  with  a  people  hke  the  Swedes. 
These  and  other  reasons  do  not,  however,  of  themselves 
account  for  the  wonderful  growth  we  have  just  noted,  though 
as  factors  they  may  be  important.  For  in  spile  of  the  heroic 
stand  of  the  German  Baptists  in  the  decade  preceding,  there 
was  in  Sweden  for  a  number  of  years  much  persecution. 
Frederick  O.  Nilsson,  who  was  instrumental  in  gathering  the 
first  company  of  Swedish  converts  at  Gothenburg,  was  thrown 
into  prison  and  finally  banished.  Even  as  late  as  1853  a 
number  of  their  strongest  leaders  were  compelled  to  leave 
the  country,  and  the  four  small  churches,  which  up  to  that 
time  had  been  called  into  existence,  were  compelled  to  meet 
for  religious  worship  in  the  dead  of  night. 

A  prominent  factor  in  the  success  of  the  Swedish  Baptists 
is  that  God  gave  them  from  the  very  beginning  such  a  large 
number  of  gifted,  devout,  and  heroic  leaders  who  could  lead 
on  the  small  bands  of  believers  to  new  and  larger  triumphs. 
Nilsson,  although  compelled  to  leave  his  country  and  labor 
in  America,  was  a  man  cast  in  a  heroic  mold.  Andreas  Wi- 
berg  was  for  Sweden  what  Kobner  has  been  for  Germany,  a 
veritable  God-send, — a  man  whose  special  gifts  for  creating  a 
Baptist  hterature  were  just  what  was  needed  at  that  time. 
Other  leaders  could  be  mentioned  did  space  permit. 

But  the  success  is  chiefly  due  to  the  aggressive  missionary 
spirit  that  has  characterized  the  churches  from  the  outset,  and 
this  spirit  had  its  roots  in  the  strong  conviction  that  the 
State  Church  was  dead  in  formalism,  and  that  their  country- 
men must  come  out  of  it  in  order  to  be  saved.  They  were 
not  afraid  of  an  aggressive  proselytism.  As  early  as  1856 
the  Stockholm  Missionary  Society  was  formed,  which  is  still 
in  existence.  To-day  each  one  of  the  nineteen  Associations 
is  a  missionary  body.  The  annual  national  gatherings  have 
charge  of  two  other  missionary  organizations,  one  for  foreign 
and  the  other  for  home  work.  The  total  expenditure  of  these 
two  bodies  is  about  ^8,000  annually. 

The  plan  of  planting  many  separate  churches,  and  aiding 
the  feeble  ones  until  they  are  sufficiently  strong  to  stand  by 
themselves,  has  also  been  an  important  element  in  their  ag- 
gressive work.  By  this  plan,  which  is  the  American  plan, 
many  new  centers  of  missionary  activity  were  established  and 
responsibility  for  extension  was  thrown  upon  the  local  forces. 

The  theological  seminary,  established  as  early  as  1866  at 
Stockholm,  has  been  a  molding  factor  in  the   work.      The 


126     GERMAN,    SCANDINAVIAN,    DUTCH,    HUNGARIAN, 

regular  course  of  instruction  of  this  school  is  four  years  and 
includes  preparatory  as  well  as  theological  study.  The  num- 
ber of  students  is  about  forty.  They  have  a  good  building 
and  have  made  some  provision  for  an  endowment. 

Mr.  Wiberg  began  in  1855  the  pubHcation  of  a  denomina- 
tional paper,  which  has  remained  the  principal  church  paper, 
although  there  are  other  Baptist  papers  pubhshed  in  various 
parts  of  Sweden,  some  monthlies,  others  weeklies. 

While  a  great  many  of  the  Swedish  churches  are  small,  and 
their  influence  on  the  community  is  often  barely  perceptible, 
the  Baptist  movement,  as  a  whole,  is  beginning  to  bear  a 
marked  influence.  The  Baptists  are  in  the  foreground  among 
the  dissenters  in  Sweden.  The  six  churches  at  the  capital, 
with  a  combined  membership  of  3,500,  and  the  three  churches 
at  Gothenburg  are  recognized  as  among  the  most  aggressive 
churches  in  the  denomination. 

5.  The  Swedish  Baptist  Churches  in  the  United  States. 
The  origin  of  Swedish  Baptist  churches  in  our  own  country 
was  due,  in  one  notable  instance,  to  the  persecutions  to 
which  Baptists  were  subjected  in  Sweden.  In  1851  Mr. 
Nilsson,  to  whose  banishment  from  Sweden  allusion  has 
already  been  made,  settled  with  a  few  of  his  followers  at 
Houston  in  Minnesota,  where  they  organized  a  church  in 
1853.  This  place  proved  to  be  a  valuable  and  strategic 
center  from  which  the  new  movement  could  spread,  as  the 
rich  farm  lands  of  Minnesota  had  already  attracted  large 
numbers  of  Swedes.  The  success  of  the  Swedish  brethren 
in  this  particular  State  has  been  very  gratifying,  for  to-day 
they  have  here  seventy-eight  churches  with  a  membership  of 
5,450.  Another  beginning,  in  point  of  time  a  little  earher 
than  the  one  just  noticed,  was  made  at  Rock  Island,  111., 
when  Rev.  Gustaf  Palmquist  organized  a  Swedish  Baptist 
church  in  185 1.  This  church  was  the  result  of  a  revival  in 
an  English-speaking  Baptist  church  at  which  several  Swedes 
were  converted,  who  after  their  baptism  were  constrained  to 
begin  a  mission  among  the  many  Swedes  in  the  State  of  Illi- 
nois. In  this  State  too,  their  subsequent  labors  met  with 
much  success,  notably  so  in  the  city  of  Chicago,  where  there 
now  are  eleven  Swedish  Baptist  churches  with  a  combined 
membership  of  about  2,300. 

The  work  of  the  Swedish  Baptists  in  our  country  is  very  much 
like  that  of  the  Germans.  Their  aim  is  to  reach  their  coun- 
trymen through  the  medium  of  the  Swedish  language,  and  in 
this  they  have  been  quite  as  successful  as  have  been  their 
German  brethren.     There  are  at  present  306  Swedish  Bap- 


SLAVIC,    ESTHOMAX,    AND    FINNISH    BAPTISTS        I27 

tist  churches  in  the  United  States  with  a  membership  of 
20,692.  They  are  most  numerous  in  the  central  West,  in 
Minnesota,  Illinois,  Iowa,  and  Nebraska,  \vhither  tlie  Swed- 
ish immigration  has  largely  gone,  but  they  have  a  few 
churches  in  almost  every  northern  State.  Their  churches, 
with  the  exception  of  those  in  our  larger  cities,  are  for  the 
most  part  small  and  need  the  financial  support  of  the  mis- 
sionary organizations  of  our  denomination.  This  support 
has  been  given  them  very  generously,  and  it  has  been  a 
prominent  factor  in  their  success. 

What  Rochester  Seminary  has  been  for  the  German 
churches,  in  the  matter  of  ministerial  education,  the  Scandi- 
navian department  of  the  Divinity  School  of  the  University 
of  Chicago  has  been  to  the  Swedish  churches,  their  pastors 
having  very  largely  been  educated  at  this  school.  The 
Swedish  Baptists  sustain  two  denominational  papers  in  their 
language,  one  published  at  Chicago,  the  other  at  Burlington, 
Iowa.  Their  Sunday-school  papers  are  published  at  Phila- 
delphia. 

III.    THE    DUTCH    BAPTISTS. 

Baptist  views  entered  Holland  by  way  of  Germany.  In 
the  year  1844,  Kobner,  while  visiting  the  newly  formed 
Baptist  churches  in  East  Frisia,  concluded  to  extend  his 
visit  into  Holland.  It  was  a  very  opportune  time,  for  the 
question  of  believers'  baptism  was  then  being  agitated  by  a 
small  circle  of  Dutch  Christians  who  had  gone  out  from  the 
State  Church  in  the  province  of  Drenthe.  At  the  head  of 
this   company  stood    a  former   pastor  of  the    Dutch   State 

.  Church,  Doctor  Feisser,  who  had  lost  his  position  on  account 
of  his  opposition  to  infant  baptism.  Feisser  was  on  the  point 
of  introducing  a  rebaptism  by  sprinkling  when  Kobner  first 
met  him.  Through  the  latter' s  visit,  however,  and  upon 
further  study  of  the  question,  Feisser  was  led  to  adopt  the 
Baptist  position,  and  was  baptized  by  Kobner  in  1845, 
together  with  seven  others.  They  then  formed  what  is 
known  as  the   first   Dutch   Baptist  church,   at  a  place  now 

•  called  Stadskanaal.  At  about  the  same  time  Kobner  bap- 
tized a  few  converts  at  Amsterdam  and  organized  them  into 
a  church. 

From  these  two  centers  the  work  has  gone  on,  but  very 
slowly,  perhaps  largely  on   account  of  the   proverbial  con- 

_sei:\'atisiii  of  the  Dutch  people.  It  was  not  until  the  late  sixties 
that  the  work  in  Holland  began  to  take  on  new  life.  There 
are  now  eighteen  Baptist  churches  in  Holland,  with  a  com- 


128     GERMAN,    SCANDINAVIAN,    DUTCH,    HUNGARIAN, 

bined  membership  of  1,389,  of  which  the  church  at  Franeker 
is  the  strongest.  Some  of  the  Dutch  churches  readily  affiliate 
with  their  stronger  neighbors,  the  Germans,  while  a  certain 
number  do  not.  The  Dutch  Baptists  support  a  denomina- 
tional paper  called  '  '■De  Christen. ' ' 

Dutch  emigration  to  the  United  States  has  not  been  very 
considerable  in  our  century,  nevertheless  several  attempts 
have  been  made  by  the  German  brethren  to  reach  this  inter- 
esting people,  but  thus  far  with  httle  success.  There  is  one 
small  Dutch  Baptist  church  in  existence  at  Muscatine,  Iowa, 
and  the  Home  Mission  Society  has  a  Dutch  missionary  in 
Chicago,  who  has  gathered  a  few  converts. 

IV.    THE    HUNGARIAN    BAPTISTS. 

Hungary  is  to  all  appearances  one  of  the  most  promising 
mission  fields  for  the  Baptists  in  all  Europe.  It  may  surprise 
some  to  learn  that  there  are  at  present  4,912  Hungarians 
enrolled  in  the  twenty  or  more  Baptist  churches  in  that 
country.  A  beginning  was  made  as  far  back  as  1846,  when 
three  young  Hungarians,  who  had  been  converted  and  bap- 
tized in  Germany,  were  prevailed  upon  by  Mr.  Oncken  to 
return  to  their  native  country  and  spread  the  truth  they  had 
experienced.  As  was  the  custom  in  those  days,  they  began 
to  distribute  tracts  and  copies  of  the  New  Testament  and  to 
preach  where  they  found  an  opening.  The  greatest  obstacle 
in  the  way  of  their  success  was  the  extreme  indifference  on 
the  part  of  the  Hungarian  people,  and  the  early  workers 
were  obliged  to  wait  many  years  before  they  could  obtain  a 
foothold.  The  outlook  now  is  very  promising,  but  the  lack 
of  trained  men  to  properly  organize  the  churches  and  to  lead 
them  on  is  felt,  by  those  who  know  the  work  best,  to  be  a 
very  serious  matter.  They  do  not  affiliate  so  readily  with 
the  Germans  as  might  be  best  for  the  work  at  this  stage  of 
its  development.  They  formed  an  Association  with  the  few 
Bohemian  churches  some  years  ago,  which  is  to  meet  an- 
nually. 

v.     THE    SLAVIC    BAPTISTS. 

I.  The  Lithuanian  and  Lettish  Baptists.  In  the  early 
fifties  the  German  Baptist  church  at  Memel,  on  the  Baltic 
Sea,  near  the  Russian  border,  became  a  veritable  Antioch 
for  two  Slavic  peoples,  the  Lithuanians  in  Prussia  and  the 
Letts  in  the  Baltic  provinces,  among  both  of  whom  Baptist 
views  found  entrance.  It  appears  that  a  destructive  fire, 
which  swept  over  the  city  of  Memel  in   1854,  first  brought  the 


SLAVIC,    ESTHONIAN,    AND    FINNISH    BAPTISTS        129 

German  brethren  into  contact  with  the  Lithuanians  in  rather 
a  unique  way.  The  large  Lithuanian  church  edifice  having 
been  burned  to  the  ground,  a  brother  in  the  German  church 
undertook  to  preach  to  the  Lithuanians  in  their  language. 
The  result  was  the  conversion  and  baptism  of  a  few  Lithua- 
nians and  a  subsequent  mission  work  among  them.  There 
are  at  present  two  Lithuanian  Baptist  churches  in  eastern 
Prussia,  and  a  few  of  the  German  churches  there  have 
Lithuanian  members. 

.  The  new  interest  begun  among  the  Letts  in  the  Russian 
provinces  of  Kurland  and  Libland  about  this  same  time  has, 
however,  been  much  more  successful.  The  Letts  number 
about  one  and  a  half  million,  and,  like  the  Lithuanians,  are 
mostly  Lutherans.  As  early  as  1855  a  Lett  named  Jacob- 
sohn  was  baptized  in  Memel,  and  thereby  the  attention  of 
the  German  brethren  was  directed  to  his  countrymen  across 
the  border.  A  missionary  tour,  such  as  was  so  common  in 
those  early  days,  was  undertaken  in  1857  by  Niemetz,  the 
pastor  of  the  Memel  Church,  which  resulted  in  the  baptism 
of  eleven  converts  in  1^0,  at  a  place  called  Windau,  and 
the  formation  of  a  Baptist  church  there.  The  few  Lettish 
brethren  themselves  took  up  the  work  with  the  result  that 
to-day  there  are^fifty-fi^e  Lettish  Baptist  churches,  with  a 
membership  of  6,28^.  The  greater  number  of  these  churches 
are  small  and^in  rural  districts,  but  there  are  some  strong 
churches  too  in  Riga,  Libau,  and  Mitau. 

Lettish  Baptists  are  now  allowed  freedom  of  worship,  but 
only  in  their  own  churches  ;  they  are  still  forbidden  to  hold 
meetings  in  private  houses.  Of  course  this  is  a  hindrance  in 
their  work,  but  it  nevertheless  goes  on  successfully.  They 
have  been  fortunate  in  having  had  able,  energetic,  and  de- 
■voted-jnen  of  their  own  nationahty  who  could  weather  the 
storms  of  persecution,  and  their  example  is  still  having  a  tell- 
ing effect  upon  the  membership  to-day.  The  one  special 
need  of  the  Lettish  churches  to-day  is  a  larger  number  of 
men  who  are  sufficiently  trained  to  represent  their  churches 
successfully  before  the  Russian  government,  to  ward  off  the 
attacks  of  the  Lutheran  clergy,  and  to  create  a  Baptist  litera- 
ture in  the  Lettish  language.  A  few  of  their  ministers  have 
been  trained  in  Hamburg,  but  the  German  language  is  to 
them  a  foreign  language,  and  therefore  the  supply  of  men, 
who  could  profit  by  a  course  of  instruction  in  Hamburg,  is 
much  hmited.  The  tank  and  file  of  the  membership  is  com- 
posed largely  of  poor  people,  and  this  is  a  hindrance  to  their 
successwhen  questTons  of  church  building  press  to  the  front. 

I 


130     GERMAN,    SCANDINAVIAN,    DUTCH,    HUNGARIAN, 

There  are  a  few  Lettish  Baptists  in  the  United  States,  but 
they  generally  find  a  home  in  a  German  Baptist  church.  In 
Philadelphia  about  sixty  of  their  number  have  recently  organ- 
ized themselves  into  a  Lettish  Baptist  church. 

2.  Bohemian  and  Polish  Baptists.  It  has  been  exceed- 
ingly ditlicult,  not  for  Baptists  alone,  but  for  all  of  the  evan- 
gelical denominations,  to  obtain  a  satisfactory  opening  for 
missionary  work  among  Bohemians  and  Poles,  both  in  our 
own  country  and  in  Europe.  The  chief  reason  for  this  is  not 
that  these  people  are  so  intensely  bigoted,  for  those  who 
know  them  are  astonished  at  their  religious  indifTerence  ;  it 
is  rather  their  notion  that  the  Roman  Church  and  the  soli- 
darity of  their  respective  nationalities  hang  together,  and  any 
departure  from  their  traditional  faith  is  viewed  among  them 
as  a  betrayal  of  their  nation.  Among  the  Bohemians  in  the 
Austrian  Empire  Baptists  have  been  at  work  since  1880,  and 
the  numerical  increase,  considering  the  difficulties  of  the  un- 
dertaking, has  been  very  encouraging,  for  there  are  at  present 
five  churches  with  a  combined  membership  of  380.  The 
largest  and  oldest  is  at  Prague,  under  the  leadership  of  Rev. 
H.  Novotny,  who  has  undertaken  to  publish  a  monthly  paper 
in  the  Bohemian  language,  which  is  gaining  friends  for  him 
in  all  parts  of  Bohemia.  Of  the  five  Bohemian  churches, 
four  have  been  organized  within  the  past  two  years.  The 
outlook  is  very  promising. 

The  Bohemian  population  in  our  own  country  is  estimated 
at  about  half  a  million.  A  Baptist  interest  among  them  was 
begun  at  Chicago  by  the  First  German  Church  there,  and 
this  has  been  so  successful  that  in  1896  a  Bohemian  Baptist 
church  was  organized,  which  now  has  a  membership  of  ninety- 
one. 

There  is  but  one  Polish  Baptist  church  in  existence,  and 
that  one  is  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  Ger- 
man Baptists  have  been  successfully  at  work  in  Poland  since 
1848,  it  has  not  been  possible  to  reach  the  Roman  Catholic 
Poles  in  numbers  sufficiently  large  to  organize  a  Polish  Bap- 
tist church.  This  is  true  of  those  parts  of  the  old  kingdom 
of  Poland  which  now  belong  to  Russia,  as  well  as  of  those 
which  are  under  German  jurisdiction.  The  Polish  Baptist 
church  in  Buffalo  has  but  a  small  membership,  and  its  ad- 
vance has  been  very  slow.  Two  Polish  missions  have  recently 
been  established,  one  in  Detroit,  Mich.,  and  the  other  in 
Chicago,  Ilk,  in  both  of  which  cities  there  is  a  large  Pohsh 
population, 

3.  Bulgarian  Baptists.     The  Bulgarians  are  Greek  Cath- 


SLAVIC,    ESTHONIAN,    AND    FINNISH    BAPTISTS        I3I 

olics,  densely  ignorant  and  as  fonatical  as  the  Greek  priests 
can  make  them.  A  German  colporter  named  John  Kargel 
began  missionary  work  among  them  in  1878  at  Rustschuk, 
and  not  without  success.  There  is  a  church  at  Rustschuk 
which  has  sixty-four  members  and  another  one  at  Lompa- 
lonka,  lately  organized,  which  has  thirty-five  members.  This 
latter  church  has  a  few  German  members.  The  government 
allows  the  Baptists  in  Bulgaria  full  freedom  of  worship,  but  is 
oftentimes  unable  to  control  the  people  when  the  priests  find 
occasion  to  stir  up  their  fanaticism.  A  few  years  ago  a  Bap- 
tist meeting-house  was  completely  destroyed  by  a  mob. 

4.  The  Russian  Baptists.  Baptist  work  among  the  Rus- 
sians, at  least  that  which  led  to  organized '  Baptist  churches, 
has  had  two  independent  beginnings  in  two  different  centers, — 
the  one  in  south  Russia  among  adherents  of  the  Russian 
State  Church,  and  the  other  in  the  city  of  Tiflis  in  the  Cau- 
casus, among  the  Molokani,  a  sect  of  the  Russian  church.  The 
first  of  these  beginnings  was  mediated  through  the  so-called 
"immersing  Mennonites,"  the  second  directly  through  Ger- 
man Baptists. 

As  has  been  stated,  a  considerable  number  of  German  im- 
migrants found  homes  in  the  vast  fertile  plains  of  southern 
and  western  Russia.  These  Germans  came  from  different 
parts  of  Germany,  the  greater  number,  however,  hailing 
from  north  Germany.  Nearly  all  of  them  were  Protestants  : 
Lutherans,  Reformed,  Mennonites,  and  Baptists.  They 
formed  themselves  into  rural  communities  which  they  called 
"■  Kolonien,''''  over  which  the  Russian  government  allowed 
them  to  exercise  an  almost  independent  civil  jurisdiction. 
They  upheld  their  language,  their  churches,  and  their 
schools. 

It  appears  that  between  the  years  1840  and  i860,  the  date 
is  uncertain,  a  revival  of  religion  broke  out  in  the  German 
Reformed  colony  of  Rohrbach,  in  the  province  of  Cherson  in 
south  Russia,  the  influence  of  which  was  quite  remarkable.' 
It  found  its  way  into  the  Mennonite  "colonies"  on  the 
Molotschna  River,  among  which  Christian  fife  had  become 
exceedingly  formal,  with  the  result  that  in  the  year  i860,  in 
the  month  of  June,  a  company  of  eighteen  persons  withdrew 
from  the  "  INIennonite  Church,"  on  the  ground  that  the 
church  wvis  spiritually  dead,  and  began  meetings  of  their  own 
"in  which  much  attention  was  given  to  the  exposition  of  the 

1  Some  Russians  were  baptized  in  the  sixties,  in  connection  with  the  German  work 
in  Poland,  but  such  baptisms  did  not  lead  to  the  formation  of  Baptist  churches. 

"-  Russian  Stundism  is  very  probably  to  be  traced  to  this  revival,  although  recent 
Russian  writers  deny  this. 


132     GERMAN,    SCANDINAVIAN,    DUTCH,    HUNGARIAN, 

Scriptures  and  to  prayer.  The  question  of  a  re-baptism  had 
not  yet  been  mentioned  at  the  time  of  their  withdrawal  from 
the  larger  body  ;  but  later  in  that  year  it  was  brought  up,  and 
the  result  was  a  conviction  that  believers'  baptism  by  immer- 
sion was  the  only  baptism  ^  taught  in  the  New  Testament, 
which  they  thereupon  introduced  on  the  twenty-third  of  Sep- 
tember, i860.  In  the  absence  of  a  qualified  administrator 
they  did  what  Roger  Williams  had  done  in  our  own  country. 
Each  of  two  brethren  baptized  the  other  and  these  thereupon 
baptized  the  remaining  candidates.  There  was  not  much  of 
an  organization  after  this  baptism,  but  they  introduced  the 
Lord's  Supper,  had  frequent  stated  meetings,  and  began  to 
call  themselves  "  Mennonite  Brethren,"  in  contradistinction 
from  their  former  co-rehgionists,  whom  they  designated  as 
the  "  Mennonite  Church." 

Of  the  subsequent  history  of  these  "immersing  Men- 
nonites ' '  there  is  only  space  to  remark  that  this  schism  called 
forth  repressive  measures,  instigated  by  the  larger  body,  and 
had  it  not  been  for  some  influential  representation  at  St. 
Petersburg,  the  leaders  of  the  "  Mennonite  Brethren  "  would 
have  been  exiled.  The  new  movement  could  not  be  put 
down,  however,  but  continued  to  grow.  They  never  came 
into  organic  relations  with  the  German  Baptists,  although 
Oncken,  in  1869,  ordained  their  leader,  a  man  named  Abra- 
ham Ungar.  They  continue  to  adhere  to  foot-washing  and 
oppose  oaths  and  the  bearing  of  arms.  They  still  num- 
ber about  2,000  adherents  in  Russia  and  about  1,500  in  our 
country,  to  which  they  began  to  immigrate  in  1870,  because 
of  the  introduction,  by  the  Russian  government,  of  compul- 
sory military  service. 

It  is  to  this  company  of  "immersing  Mennonites "  that 
the  origin  of  the  Russian  Baptists  in  south  Russia  is  due, 
and  the  story  is  an  interesting  one.  The  revival  that  had 
caused  a  split  in  the  Mennonite  body  influenced  in  a  yet 
greater  degree  the  Russian  peasants  who  were  brought  into 
daily  contact  with  these  converted  Germans.  The  law,  it  is 
true,  forbade  proselyting  among  members  of  the  Russian 
State  Church,  but  nothing  could  prevent  the  circulation  of 
the  Scriptures  among  them.  Through  this  agency  many 
Russians  had  already  come  to  the  truth  of  behevers'  baptism 

1  The  question  as  to  whether  they  came  to  this  conviction  independently,  solely  from 
a  study  of  the  New  Testament,  or  whether  from  contact  with  German  Baptists,  has 
been  variously  answered.  Professor  Lehmann,  "  Geschichte  der  eieutschen  Baptisten," 
Theil  II.,  Seit.  310,  gives  some  evidence  for  the  view  that  they  were  in  possession  of 
Baptist  literature  before  they  introduced  immersion.  On  the  other  hand,  some  "eye- 
witnesses" assert  that  they  knew  of  no  Baptists  at  that  time.  The  question  has  only 
an  academic  value. 


SLAVIC,    ESTHONIAN,    AND    FINN'ISH    nAI'TISTS        I33 

and  were  only  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  see  their  convic- 
tions carried  into  practice.  But  who  would  undertake  to 
baptize  them  in  the  face  of  a  law  which  meant  banishment 
for  the  administrator  and  imprisonment  and  fines  for  the 
baptized  ?  But  love  is  inventive.  On  June  11,  1869,  Abra- 
ham Ungar  undertook  to  baptize  a  large  number  of  German 
converts  in  the  night,  when  two  Russians,  Elim  Zimbal  and 
Trifon  Chlystum,  both  known  and  respected,  managed  to 
mingle  with  the  baptismal  candidates  and  were  baptized 
without  the  knowledge  of  the  administrator. 

There  was  no  need  of  baptizing  any  other  Russians  after 
this  baptism,  for  not  long  after  Zimbal  was  found  preaching 
and  baptizing  a  number  of  converts  in  a  village  near  by, 
among  whom  was  Ivan  Rjabeshapka,  who  more  than  any 
other  became  an  apostle  of  the  new  life  among  his  country- 
men. Rjabeshapka  soon  afterward  baptized  Ratushni,  who, 
with  the  others  just  mentioned,  soon  filled  south  Russia  with 
the  new  doctrine.  These  men  were  instrumental  in  inau- 
gurating a  movement  that  would  have  swept  thousands  upon 
thousands  into  the  Baptist  ranks  had  it  not  so  soon  been 
checked  by  violent  persecution.  Space  forbids  any  more 
extended  notice  of  these  early  Russian  leaders.  Suffice  it  to 
say  that,  for  sublimity  of  faith,  the  character  of  these  Russian 
brethren  stands  unparalleled  in  modern  Christian  history. 

There  was  another  beginning  of  Baptist  work  among  the 
Russians,  independent  of  the  one  we  have  just  been  con- 
sidering, and  this  was  made  in  the  city  of  Tiflis,  in  Trans- 
Caucasia.  To  this  city  a  German  Baptist  by  the  name  of 
Kalweit  immigrated  in  1862.  He  soon  gathered  some  con- 
verts from  among  his  countrymen,  whom  he  baptized  and 
organized  into  a  Baptist  church.  It  numbered  but  nine  per- 
sons at  that  time,  but  they  began  to  hold  services  under  the 
leadership  of  Kalweit.  Through  the  instrumentality  of  a 
Nestorian  missionary,  Kalweit,  in  1867,  became  acquainted 
with  a  Russian  merchant  named  Mikita  Woronin,  who  had 
for  some  time  left  the  Molokani  because  he  had  become 
convinced  of  their  unscriptural  positions.  Woronin,  giving 
evidence  of  conversion,  was  baptized  by  Kalweit  on  August 
20,  1867,  the  first  Baptist  convert,  so  far  as  is  known,  from 
that  Russian  sect.  He  remained  with  the  German  brethren 
at  Tiflis  but  a  short  time,  for  he  felt  called  to  preach  the 
gospel  to  his  former  co-rehgionists  and  set  himself  to  this 
task.  This  was  by  no  means  an  easy  one,  because  of  their 
Quaker-like  opposition  to  anything  that  had  a  semblance 
of  organization  or  was   at   variance   with    their    traditional 


134     GERMAN,    SCANDINAVIAN,    DUTCH,    HUNGARIAN, 

forms.  He  was  successful,  however,  and  on  April  i8,  1869, 
baptized  the  first  six  Russians,  whom  he  organized  into  a 
church  at  Tiflis,  undoubtedly  the  first  Russian  Baptist  church 
of  which  we  have  any  record.  This  church  is  still  in  exist- 
ence, having  a  membership  of  about  one  hundred,  while  the 
older  German  church  soon  became  extinct. 

From  these  two  beginnings  the  Baptist  interest  among  the 
Russian  people  has  grown  and  spread  over  south  Russia  and 
Caucasia.  In  its  outward  extension  it  has  found  a  more 
receptive  soil  in  south  Russia  than  in  Caucasia,  but  in  the 
former  place  the  persecution  was  more  severe  and  the  dis- 
tinctively Baptist  work  was  too  much  allied  to  the  larger 
movement  of  Stundism,  both  of  which  circumstances  greatly 
hindered  its  fuller  growth.  In  Caucasia  and  in  the  valleys 
along  the  Volga  River  the  Baptists  were  less  disturbed  by 
persecution,  because  the  population  here  consisted  largely 
of  such  as  did  not  belong  to  the  orthodox  church. 

Brief  mention  may  be  made  of  but  two  men  who  had  a 
prominent  part  in  the  subsequent  extension  of  the  Baptist 
movement.  One  was  Vasili  Pavloff,  who  labored  for  twenty 
years  with  marked  success,  and  who,  after  many  imprison- 
ments, was  finally  banished  to  Tultscha,  in  Roumania,  where 
he  now  lives  in  poverty,  cut  off  from  a  work  for  which  he  is 
so  well  fitted.  The  other  was  a  German,  named  Johann 
Wiehler,  who  gave  to  the  Russian  Baptist  churches  a  hymnal 
and  aided  them  in  organizing  their  churches.  He  made  one 
great  mistake,  however,  in  that  he  encouraged  the  Russian 
brethren  to  adopt  the  name  of  "Brethren  "  instead  of  Bap- 
•tists,  perhaps  out  of  deference  to  the  Stundists,  whom  he 
was  so  desirous  of  winning.  As  a  consequence  the  Russian 
Baptists  could  not  avail  themselves  of  the  name  of  Baptists 
before  the  Russian  courts,  when,  in  1879,  the  Czar's  govern- 
ment granted  the  Baptists  the  rights  of  a  lawful  Protestant 
denomination.  Even  to  this  day  the  Russian  Baptists  are 
treated  as  Stundists  and  blamed  for  all  the  vagaries  and 
excrescences  of  this  once  promising,  but  now  unhappy  and 
divided  religious  movement. 

It  is  difficult  to  give  reliable  statistics  of  the  present 
strength  of  the  Russian  Baptists,  because  they  do  not  dare  as 
yet  to  pubhsh  names  and  figures  which  would  only  aid  their 
enemies  in  their  work  of  extermination.  The  constant  perse- 
cutions and  petty  police  surveillance  have  scattered  them  and 
destroyed  nearly  all  their  former  organizations.  A  conserva- 
tive estimate  places  the  number  of  Russian  Baptist  churches 
at  about  250  and  the  membership  at  about  12,000,  scattered 


SLAVIC,    ESTHONIAN,    AND    FINNISH    BAPTISTS        1 35 

over  the  southern  and  eastern  portions  of  European  Russia 
and  Caucasia.  It  may  be  worth  while  to  remember  that 
there  is  a  Baptist  church  of  about  300  members  at  Blagooest- 
schensk  on  the  Amur  River,  on  the  Manchurian  border. 
Very  few  of  the  Russian  Baptist  churches  have  houses  of 
worship  at  the  present  time,  all  but  two  having  been  closed 
or  confiscated  by  the  government.  They  are  obliged  to 
worship  in  private  houses,  or  barns,  or  under  the  open  sky, 
and  always  in  small  numbers.  Persecution  has  seriously 
crippled  this  work,  but  the  truth  has  had  time  to  strike  root, 
and  therefore  it  is  destined,  at  some  future  time,  to  bring 
forth  a  yet  greater  harvest. 

VI.    THE    ESTHONIAN    AND    FINNISH    BAPTISTS. 

The  Esthonians  are  said  to  be  a  Mongolian  people  belong- 
ing to  the  Finnish  family,  but  having  a  language  of  their  own. 
They  number  about  650,000,  and  Uve  principally  in  their  old 
habitat,  Esthonia,  one  of  the  Baltic  provinces  of  Russia. 
Like  the  Finns  and  Letts  they  are  mostly  Lutherans.  A 
Baptist  interest  of  great  promise  was  begun  about  fifteen 
years  ago  by  Rev.  A.  R.  Schieve,  who  was  at  that  time 
pastor  of  the  German  Baptist  church  at  St.  Petersburg.  It 
had  its  inception  in  a  revival  over  which  the  Lutheran  pastors 
could  gain  no  control.  There  are  now  four  Esthonian  Bap- 
tist churches  with  a  membership  of  1,048.  Thus  far  no  per- 
secution has  impeded  the  progress  of  this  interest. 

The  Finns  are  also  a  Mongolian  people  and  probably  still 
in  possession  of  that  part  of  Europe  which  they  held  before 
the  incursion  of  the  Indo-Europeans.  Up  to  the  beginning 
of  our  century,  Finland  belonged  to  Sweden,  Avhich  fact  may 
explain  the  influence  the  Swedes  still  have  in  the  country, 
and  also  explains  the  interest  the  Swedish  Baptists  have 
shown  in  the  planting  and  fostering  of  Baptist  churches  there. 
The  first  converts  were  baptized  in  1868  by  a  missionary  from 
Sweden.  The  progress  of  the  work  was  very  slow  at  first, 
because  of  the  hostility  of  the  Lutheran  clergy  and  the  op- 
pressive laws  governing  religious  communities  in  Russia  at 
that  time.  The  Baptists  obtained  legal  rights  in  1892  after- 
a  long  and  trying  struggle.  They  now  have  thirty-one 
churches  with  a  membership  of  2,030.  The  churches  are 
all  still  small.  They  have  had  the  assistance  of  their  stronger 
neighbors,  the  Swedish  Baptists,  with  whom  they  were  for- 
merly affiliated  ;  they  now  have  a  Conference  of  their  own 
which  meets  annually.  The  interest  seems  to  be  thoroughly 
established  and  will  surely  see  yet  greater  triumphs. 


136      GERMAN,    SCANDINAVIAN,    DUTCH,    HUNGARIAN 

In  1895  Rev.  I.  A.  Winklund  began  a  Finnish  mission  in 
Worcester,  Mass.,  to  which  city  four  Baptists  from  Finland 
had  immigrated.  The  mission  has  progressed  to  the  extent 
that  in  June,  1900,  a  church  was  organized  which  had  twenty- 
three  members.  This  church  is  at  the  present  time  the  only 
Finnish  Baptist  church  in  our  country. 

Albert  J.  Ramaker. 


XI 

THE  BAPTISTS  OF  THE  DOMINION  OF  CANADA 


PART  I 


ONTARIO,    QUEBEC,  MANITOBA,  AND   THE 
NORTHWEST 

I.    THE   FIRST   PERIOD,  T800-1835,   INDIVIDUAL  EVANGELISM. 

1.  Population.  Quebec  was  settled  mainly  by  the  French  ; 
its  "eastern  townships"  and  almost  all  Ontario  by  English- 
speaking  people  from  the  mother  country  and  the  United 
States.  Scarcely  any  of  these  settlers  were  Baptists,  for  the 
French  were  solidly  Catholic  ;  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland 
Baptists  were  few,  and,  of  the  numerous  American  Baptists, 
very  few  were  United  Empire  Loyalists.  The  early  Baptists, 
therefore,  became  such  from  personal  conviction. 

2.  The  dawn  of  the  century  found  three  widely  separated 
Baptist  centers.  Vermont  missionaries  had  followed  the 
American  settlers  of  the  eastern  townships  and  founded 
churches.  The  oldest  was  Caldwell  Manor  (1794).  The 
only  one  that  has  Hved  through  the  century  is  Abbott's  Cor- 
ners (1799).  In  the  center,  Reuben  Crandall,  from  the 
United  States,  began  the  work  and  organized  a  church  at 
Hallowell,  Prince  Edward  County,  in  1795.  Other  churches 
soon  followed,  among  them  Haldimand  (1798),  which  still 
exists.  Tradition  says  the  present  Beamsville  Church,  twenty 
miles  from  Niagara,  dates  from  1776.  Certainly  it  was 
flourishing  in  1796.  The  settlers  there  were  from  New  Jer- 
sey and  Great  Britain.      The  missionaries  were  all  American. 

3.  Early  Progress.  Haldimand  became  such  a  fruitful 
mother  of  churches  that  in  1803  the  Thurlow  Association 
was  formed.  From  Beamsville  influences  spread  westward, 
which  were  reinforced  by  settlers  from  the  Maritime  Prov- 
inces, some  of  whom,  like  Elders  Mabee  and  Merrill,  had 
become  Baptists  in  the  East.  Charlotteville,  now  Vittoria, 
was  organized  in  1804  by  Titus  Finch,  of  Nova  Scotia,  the 
first  Baptist  ordained  in  Ontario.     Townsend,  now  Boston, 

137 


138      THE    BAPTISTS    OF   THE    DOMINION    OF    CANADA 

followed  in  the  same  year,  and  many  others  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, among  them  Aylma  (1816).  These  were  in  touch 
with  Haldimand  and  Beamsville.  In  1819  they  formed  the 
Western  Association  and  Beamsville  district  the  Eastern. 
North  of  them,  in  the  London  district,  sprang  up  a  group  of 
Free  Baptist  churches,  the  most  important  of  them  Wood- 
stock, founded  in  1822.      Work  began  in  Toronto  in  1829. 

An  independent  beginning  was  made  at  Harlem,  near 
Brockville,  where  a  church  was  organized  in  1803.  This 
issued  in  the  Johnstown  Association  in  1827.  Abel  Ste- 
phens, Loyalist,  and  Doctor  Day,  founder  of  the  Telugu 
Mission,  are  honored  names  on  its  roll. 

The  Ottawa  Valley  has  an  entirely  different  history. 
Breadalbane  (181 7)  and  Dalesville  (1826)  were  formed  by 
Perthshire  Highlanders.  They  were  a  vigorous,  godly  folk, 
who  had  come  under  Haldane's  influence  in  Scotland.  Their 
character  and  influence  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  Mr.  Fraser, 
after  a  nineteen  years'  pastorate,  could  say  that  he  had  never 
heard  an  oath  or  seen  a  glass  of  liquor  drunk  in  Breadalbane. 

4.  Leaders.  William  Marsh  did  faithful  service  in  eastern 
Quebec,  and  in  1825  followed  some  of  his  people  westward 
and  started  the  church  at  Whitby,  Out.  In  the  extreme 
west  mention  should  be  made  of  Elder  Mabee,  able  and 
aggressive.  Elder  Merrill,  unconventional  and  mighty,  as 
well  as  of  the  far-seeing  Deacon  Beam,  of  Beamsville,  and 
quaint  Champion  Scovill,  through  whose  influence  the  first 
annual  missionary  was  sent  out.  Elders  Crandall  and  Winn, 
of  Haldimand,  were  men  of  great  zeal,  and  John  Harris,  of 
Boston,  was  mighty  in  soul-winning.  John  Edwards,  a  ship- 
wright, converted  under  Haldanein  1799,  settled  at  Clarence, 
on  the  Ottawa,  in  1827.  Moved  by  the  spiritual  destitution 
around  him,  he  became  a  preacher  and  a  veritable  apostle. 
His  chief  work,  however,  was  in  visiting  Britain,  rousing 
interest,  and  bringing  Gilmour  and  Fraser  to  Canada. 

These  pioneers  were  men  of  energy,  ability,  devotion,  and 
conviction.  Circumstances  called  out  the  clearest-headed 
and  truest-hearted.  Supporting  themselves,  they  preached 
to  their  neighbors,  toured  extensively  on  foot,  horseback,  by 
boat,  and  endured  much  hardship  for  Christ's  sake,  and  the 
people  honored  and  welcomed  them. 

II.     THE    SECOND    PERIOD,    1835-1866,   UNIFICATION. 

I.  The  Situation.  During  the  first  period  the  churches 
East  and  West  were  unaware  of  each  other's  existence.  The 
Ottawa  Valley  and  Montreal  were  in  touch  with  Britain,  the 


ONTARIO,   QUEBEC,   MANITOBA,   AND    NORTHWEST      1 39 

rest  with  the  United  States.  The  population  of  Upper 
Canada  which  in  1783  was  10,000,  rose  to  50,000  in  1800 
and  95,000  in  1815.  Lower  Canada,  in  1800,  had  150,000. 
In  1833  there  were  400,000  Enghsh-speaking  people  in  the  two 
provinces,  of  whom  3,000  were  members  of  Baptist  churches. 
During  our  second  period  immigration  was  heavy  and  all  of 
older  Ontario  was  settled.  This  constituted  an  urgent  call 
for  evangelization, 

2.  Leaders  and  Progress.  John  Gilmour  (d.  1869),  a  fine 
combination  of  pioneering  zeal  and  scholarly  culture,  organ- 
ized the  church  in  Montreal  (1830),  toured  in  almost  every 
section  of  the  provinces,  did  much  to  enlist  British  support, 
promote  co-operation,  and  raise  the  standard  of  the  ministry. 
William  Fraser,  a  giant  physically,  intellectually,  and  spirit- 
ually, evangelized  extensively  in  the  Ottawa  Valley  and  Bruce, 
and  was  pre-eminent  as  a  teacher  and  exemplar  of  truth. 
The  doctrinal  sanity  of  Canadian  Baptists  is  largely  due  to 
him.  Daniel  McPheil,  "the  Elijah  of  the  Ottawa  Valley," 
was  a  man  of  tremendous  conviction,  possessed  with  a  passion 
for  soul-winning.  He  probably  founded  more  churches  and 
saw  more  of  his  proteges  in  the  ministry  than  any  other 
Canadian.  These  two  preached  in  GalHc  as  well  as  Enghsh. 
An  even  more  commanding  figure  is  R.  A.  Fyfe,  a  native 
Canadian.  He  was  the  first  to  put  the  work  in  Toronto  on 
a  firm  basis.  His  chief  work,  however,  was  educational. 
An  altogether  imperial  personality  he  has  been  undoubtedly 
the  greatest  organizer  and  maker  of  men  in  Canadian  Baptist 
history. 

Faithful  Samuel  Tapscott  was  abundant  in  labors  ;  George 
Watson  bravely  planted  the  standard  near  Sarnia  ;  colonies 
of  Welshmen  became  the  material  for  substantial  churches 
in  Claremont  and  Dinfield  ;  INIcDormand,  the  impassioned 
orator,  reached  multitudes  all  through  the  West  ;  faithful 
men  began  the  work  along  the  shores  of  Georgian  Bay,  and 
in  the  heart  of  the  Huron  district  the  now  venerable  Alex- 
ander Stewart  repeated  all  the  hardships  and  heroism  of  the 
most  devoted  pioneers. 

In  the  older  districts  valuable  work  in  extending  and  up- 
building was  done  by  W^illiam  Rees,  a  clear-headed  Welsh- 
man, who  told  wondering  Brantford  that  she  should  yet  know 
who  Baptists  were  and  fulfilled  his  prophecy  ;  George  J. 
Ryerse,  of  Townsend,  sagacious  and  true  ;  W.  H.  Landon, 
gentle,  philosophic,  lover  and  loved  of  men;  J.  Winter- 
botham,  who  put  Woodstock  on  the  Regular  basis  ;  Dr.  James 
Cooper,  scholarly  and  spiritual ;  Dr.  Robert  Boyd,  the  sainted 


I40     THE    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    DOMINION    OF    CANADA 

sufferer,  author  of  "  The  World's  Hope  "  ;  and  James  Inglis, 
the  vigorous  editor  of  the  "  Evangehcal  Pioneer."  In  Que- 
bec, where  there  were  several  weak  Freewill  churches  and 
about  twenty  Calvinistic,  Hibberd  was  an  honored  name  ; 
there  too,  Elders  Gillies  and  Chandler,  and  Rev.  David 
Marsh,  of  Quebec  City,  began  their  long  and  honorable 
careers. 

Among  others  than  preachers  must  be  mentioned  David 
Buchan,  leader  in  the  Union  ;  Deacon  Burtch,  of  Wood- 
stock, who  mortgaged  his  farm  to  save  the  college  ;  Rowley 
Kilborn,  first  president  of  the  permanent  missionary  society  ; 
and  Stephen  Tucker,  the  consecrated  lumberman,  who  planted 
seven  churches  along  the  Ottawa. 

The  territorial  progress  made  is  indicated  by  the  mere 
mention  of  a  few  of  the  leading  places  occupied.  In  the 
thirties  :  Osgoods,  Kingston,  St.  Catharines,  Brantford,  St. 
Thomas ;  in  the  forties  :  Quebec,  Brockville,  Peterboro, 
Hamilton,  London  ;  in  the  fifties  :  Ottawa,  Guelph,  Strat- 
ford, Owen  Sound,  Leamington.  The  numerical  progress 
shows  a  membership  of  about  5,000  in  1840,  7,000  in  1850, 
and  about  15,000  in  1866. 

3.  Unificatio7i.  Distance  kept  East  and  West  apart  for 
years.  The  progress  of  the  country  cured  that.  There 
remained  three  main  obstacles  to  unification — the  com- 
munion question,  the  ultra-independence  of  some  churches, 
and  general  indifference  to  missions  in  others.  Most  of  the 
Eastern  churches  started  with  open  communion  ;  some  of 
them  even  with  mixed  membership.  By  1840  they  had  all 
become  close.  At  first  they  were  ultra-independent,  believ- 
ing that  the  church  existed  only  for  its  own  edification  and 
the  observance  of  the  Supper,  that  evangelists  should  be  sup- 
ported but  that  the  pastor  should  support  himself  and  be  as 
one  of  the  brethren.  They  looked  askance  at  any  organiza- 
tion beyond  the  local  church.  But  in  a  series  of  remarkable 
revivals  much  new  blood  came  in  ;  under  wise  leaders  they 
were  trained  to  co-operation,  and  the  Ottawa  Association  was 
formed  in  1836.  Out  of  it  sprang  in  1837  the  Canada  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society.  It  pushed  evangehzation,  founded 
Montreal  College  (1838),  published  a  paper  and  magazine, 
and  received  aid  from  the  Baptist  Canadian  Missionary  So- 
ciety of  Britain,  through  which  they  became  acquainted  with 
their  Western  brethren,  Rees  and  Gilmour  having  visited 
England  about  the  same  time  seeking  assistance.  They  were 
advised  to  co-operate. 

The  Western  churches,  in  constant  touch  with  the  American 


ONTARIO,   QUEBEC,   MANITOBA,   AND    NORTHWEST      I4I 

Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  which  in  1837  assisted  seven 
of  their  missionaries,  had  been  earher  prepared  for  co-opera- 
tion. But  here  too,  the  communion  question  caused  dififi- 
cuUy.  In  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  of  Upper  Canada 
(1833-1835),  and  the  Upper  Canada  Baptist  Mission  So- 
ciety that  immediately  succeeded  it,  the  question  was  ignored 
and  an  effort  was  made  to  effect  a  union  with  the  Free  Bap- 
tist churches.  But  in  1843  the  Western  and  Grand  River 
Associations  disfellowshiped  all  the  "opens,"  and  held  aloof 
from  the  Canada  Baptist  Union  which  was  formed  that  year 
on  a  broad  basis  and  included  both  East  and  West.  The 
Regular  Baptist  Union  of  Canada  (1848),  attracted  "the 
strict"  and  many  "moderates."  Both  failed.  Montreal 
College  and  the  Eastern  Society  also  collapsed,  after  some 
thirteen  years  of  noble  missionary  and  educational  service, 
under  the  guidance  of  the  cultured  Englishmen  who  manned 
the  college,  Doctors  Davies  and  Cramp.  So  that  in  1850 
there  was  no  Convention,  no  college,  no  paper,  and  the  de- 
nomination seemed  hopelessly  divided. 

These  failures  taught  two  lessons — that  union  must  be  on 
the  Regular  basis  and  that  minor  differences  must  be  ignored. 
These  lessons  and  the  general  weariness  with  division  secured 
permanence  for  the  Regular  Baptist  Missionary  Society  which 
was  organized  October,  1851.  Aroundit  gathered  in  succession 
the  Educational  (1858),  Superannuated  Ministers  (1864), 
Foreign  Missionary  (1866),  Church  Edifice  (1867),  and  Pub- 
lication (1882).  On  similar  lines  was  created  in  1858  the 
C.  B.  M.  Convention  East,  with  the  country  east  of  Kings- 
ton for  its  field. 

4.  Educational.  Many  plans  had  been  formed  in  the  West. 
Montreal  College  had  failed  because  it  was  too  far  from  the 
center  and  never  won  the  confidence  of  the  close  commun- 
ionists.  It  was  Doctor  Fyfe  who  finally  launched  at  Wood- 
stock the  college  of  which  AIcMaster  University  is  the  outcome. 

5.  Religio-Political.  During  this  period  the  Baptists  made 
a  notable  contribution  to  the  spread  of  religious  liberty. 
Strenuous  efforts  had  been  made  to  fasten  State-Churchism  on 
Canada.  Largely  through  the  influence  exerted  by  Baptists 
through  the  "Pioneer"  and  the  "Montreal  Register,"  the 
petitions  of  the  "  Union,"  and  the  splendid  work  of  Davies, 
Fyfe,  Cramp,  Bosworth,  and  others,  Toronto  University  was 
nationalized  and  the  vexed  questions  of  the  clergy  reserves 
and  endowed  rectories  were  settled  on  sound  principles. 

6.  Indian  Wofk.  In  1842  some  Baptist  Indians  from 
Lewiston,    N.    Y. ,    settled  on  the    reserve    near    Brantford. 


142      THE    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    DOMINION    OF    CANADA 

Through  their  influence  others  were  converted  and  a  church 
of  twenty-six  members  was  organized  in  May.  In  November, 
though  persecuted  by  Episcopahans,  they  numbered  103. 
The  church  has  been  supported  mainly  by  Brantford.  Its 
membership  is  now  152. 

7.  French  Work.  Before  1834  all  evangelical  work  among 
French  Canadians  had  been  abandoned  as  utterly  fruit- 
less. Then  from  a  little,  persecuted,  independent  church  in 
Switzerland,  came  Pastor  Olivier,  Madame  Feller,  and  M. 
Roussy.  About  1848,  owing  to  changed  views,  the  mission 
became  Baptist.  Madame  Feller  and  M.  Roussy  lived  to 
see  thousands  of  French  Protestants.  The  story  is  among 
the  romances  of  missions.  Feller  Institute  and  Roussy 
Memorial  Church  at  Grande  Ligne  are  to-day  the  center  of 
a  growingly  influential  work  which  must  be  measured  not 
simply  by  the  number  of  converts,  churches,  schools,  and 
missionaries,  but  also  by  the  increased  intelligence  of  the 
French  people  and  their  growing  independence  of  the  priest- 
hood. 

8.  German  Work.  Professor  Rauschenbusch,  then  of  the 
American  Tract  Society,  was  invited  by  Mr.  Schneider,  of 
Berlin,  Ontario,  to  come  and  baptize  his  baby  boy.  He 
happened  to  be  studying  the  question  of  baptism  and  advised 
his  friend  to  let  the  child  grow  up  unbaptized.  In  185 1  he 
himself  was  baptized  and  shortly  afterward  visited  Berhn  and 
baptized  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schneider  and  four  others  and  organ- 
ized a  church  of  fourteen  members.  The  work  prospered, 
but  much  of  it  has  been  lost  to  Baptists  for  lack  of  competent 
leadership.  There  are  in  Ontario  to-day  twelve  churches 
with  a  membership  of  923. 

III.    THE   THIRD    PERIOD,    1866-190O,   EXPANSION. 

I.  Foreign  Missions.  Heretofore  contributions  had  been 
made  to  English  and  American  Baptist  missions.  In  1866  a 
Canadian  auxihary  to  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union 
was  formed  and  A.  V.  Timpany  became  its  first  missionary. 
John  McLaurin  followed  in  1870.  In  1873  a  strong  appeal 
was  made  to  him  at  Ongole  by  Thomas  Gabriel,  a  caste  con- 
vert, to  take  up  the  work  he  had  begun  at  Cocanada.  The 
result  was  that  in  1879,  with  the  cordial  concurrence  of  the 
Union,  the  Canadians  entered  upon  independent  work,  with 
Doctor  McLaurin  as  their  missionary  ;  he  laid  wise  founda- 
tions. Timpany,  glowing  soul,  and  Craig,  our  veteran, 
joined  in  1878.  Timpany's  death  in  1885  stirred  the 
churches  deeply  and  large  reinforcements  were  hurried  for- 


ONTARIO,  QUEBEC,   MANITOBA,   AND    NORTHWEST      1 43 

ward.  Only  well-equipped  men  and  women  have  been  sent 
and  great  blessing  has  been  vouchsafed.  There  are  to-day 
thirty  missionaries,  thirty  churches,  4,000  members,  and  a 
noble  body  of  native  helpers  trained  in  the  village  schools, 
the  boarding  scliools,  and  the  Samulcotte  Seminary. 

In  1897  a  new  mission  was  opened  in  BoUvia,  by  Rev.  A. 
B.  Reekie.  Seven  others  have  followed  and  work  has  begun 
auspiciously  at  Oruro  and  La  Paz. 

2.  Manitoba,  Northwest,  and  British  Columbia.  Work 
was  begun  by  Rev.  A.  McDonald  in  1873.  The  First  Church, 
Winnipeg,  was  organized  in  1875,  and  in  1881  a  Convention, 
which  in  1883  included  ten  churches  with  500  members. 
There  are  to-day  4, 220  members  and  seventy-five  churches,  of 
which  eleven  are  German,  five  Scandinavian,  and  two  Indian. 
This  success  has  been  due  largely  to  the  noble  women's 
Board  (organized  1885),  Prairie  College,  conducted  by  Doc- 
tor Crawford  (1880-1883),  Brandon  Academy  under  Profes- 
sor McKee,  the  superintendents  of  missions,  and  the  late 
Alexander  Grant.  Brandon  College  now  belongs  to  the  body 
and  has  started  out  most  auspiciously. 

British  Columbia  worked  for  years  with  the  Washington 
Convention  and  was  helped  by  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society.  A  separate  Convention  was  organized  in 
1897,  which  numbers  now  eighteen  churches  and  1,500  mem- 
bers. Both  these  Conventions  co-operate  with  Ontario  in 
foreign  missions  and  receive  help  from  the  East  for  home 
work. 

3.  Publication.  Senator  McMaster's  gift  of  $40,000  led 
to  the  formation  of  the  Standard  Publishing  Company,  whose 
directors  purchased  "The  Canadian  Baptist,"  which  in  1859 
succeeded  "The  Christian  Messenger"  (1853),  and  opened 
a  book-room,  the  profits  going  to  missions.  This  became 
technically,  as  it  had  been  virtually,  the  property  of  the 
denomination  under  the  reorganization  to  be  mentioned. 

4.  Changes  in  Organization.  In  1889  the  Eastern  and 
Western  Conventions  gave  place  to  the  Baptist  Convention 
of  Ontario  and  Quebec.  The  new  differed  from  the  old  in 
two  important  respects  :  the  old  Convention  meant  no  more 
than  that  certain  district  Societies  met  at  the  same  place  fot 
the  convenience  of  persons  who  were  members  of  more  than 
one.  It  was  simply  a  meeting  of  Societies  and  had  no  officers 
of  its  own.  Moreover,  the  Societies  had  a  monetary  basis 
of  membership.  The  new  Convention  is  on  a  strictly  rep- 
resentative basis,  being  composed  of  delegates  from  the 
churches  and  the  Associations  constitutionally,  but  practically 


144     THE    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    DOMINION    OF    CANADA 

from  the  churches  only.  It  has  its  own  officers  and  annually 
appoints  Boards  to  manage  the  various  departments  of  work 
formerly  done  by  the  Societies,  viz,  Home  Missions,  Foreign 
Missions,  Superannuated  Ministers,  Church  Edifice,  Pubhca- 
tion,  and  a  Committee  for  Manitoba,  Northwest,  and  British 
Columbia. 

Women's  Foreign  Missionary  Societies,  East  and  West, 
were  organized  by  WiUiam  Timpany  in  1876.  They  have 
raised  since  then  ^120,000,  less  than  two  per  cent,  of  which 
has  gone  for  home  expenses. 

The  Women's  Home  Missionary  Society,  West,  dates  from 
1884  and  the  Eastern  from  1S89.  Their  income  last  year 
was  $6,700.  The  "Visitor"  and  "Link"  are  published 
monthly  by  the  Women's  Home  and  Foreign  Societies  re- 
spectively. 

The  first  Provincial  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  Con- 
vention met  in  1897. 

Before  1884  pastors  served  as  secretaries  of  all  Societies. 
In  that  year  Rev.  Alexander  Grant  was  appointed  superin- 
tendent of  Home  Missions.  After  five  years  of  magnificent 
service  this  remarkable  man  resigned  to  take  the  Winnipeg 
pastorate.  God  called  him  home  in  1897.  His  successor 
was  the  wise  and  devoted  J.  P.  McEwen,  whose  loss  we  just 
now  mourn.  Under  the  earlier  order,  Dr.  T.  L.  Dandson, 
the  indefatigable  secretary,  did  splendid  work. 

The  Foreign  Board  followed  this  lead  in  1888.  Rev. 
John  McLaurin,  A.  P.  McDiarmid,  and  J.  G.  Brown  have 
held  the  office  and  proved  the  wisdom  of  the  step. 

A  Dominion  Board  of  Missions  was  formed  in  1885.  Its 
two  years'  history  was  not  encouraging,  and  it  was  not  until 
July,  1900,  that  in  Winnipeg  the  Baptists  of  the  Dominion 
met  in  their  first  National  Baptist  Convention. 

5.  Leaders.  To  those  already  named  should  be  added 
John  Bates,  prime  mover  in  foreign  missions  ;  John  Demp- 
sey,  laborious  and  wise  ;  John  Alexander,  a  charming  per- 
sonality ;  Joshua  Denovan,  rugged,  original,  who  suffused 
doctrine  with  the  charm  of  poetry  ;  E.  W.  Dadson,  incarna- 
tion of  righteousness  and  goodness  ;  John  H.  Castle,  saga- 
cious as  he  was  attractive  and  generous  ;  D.  A.  McGregor, 
keen-minded  and  gentle-souled  ;  and  to  mention  only  one 
among  the  living,  W.  K.  Anderson,  whose  lingering  presence 
is  a  heavenly  benediction, — these  as  pastors  and  preachers. 
Among  others  must  be  named  T.  S.  Shenstone  and  William 
Craig,  Sr. ,  faithful  friends  of  foreign  missions,  as  Benjamin 
Bell  and  Thomas  Lailey  were  of  home  missions  ;  J.  E.  Wells, 


THE    MARITIME    I'kOVINCES  I45 

professor  and  editor,  our  most  finished  publicist  ;  Theo- 
dore H.  Rand,  poet,  educationist,  iron-willed  and  inspiring, 
and  William  McMaster,  whose  gifts  of  over  $1,200,000  en- 
dowed the  Publication  Board,  the  Home  Mission  Superin- 
tendency,  and  McMaster  University.  Leaders  in  education 
exclusively  will  be  found  in  the  article  devoted  to  that  work. 

6.  Progress.  The  15,000  of  1866  have  grown  to  over 
44,000,  representing  464  churches.  The  Home  Mission 
Board  last  year  employed  104  regular  missionaries  and  fifty- 
three  students.  The  forward  movement  to  mark  the  century 
aimed  at  $150,000  for  missions.  In  1900  home  missions 
received  $22,460  ;  foreign  missions,  $35,783  ;  Grande  Ligne, 
$10,000  ;  the  Northwest  nearly  $10,000,  and  other  objects, 
$2,000.  McMaster,  Grande  Ligne,  and  Brandon  sought 
$40,000  each  for  buildings.  Our  share  of  all  (about  $80,000) 
is  nearly  all  pledged.  Our  educational  history  is  given  by 
another. 

7.  Conclusion.  Canadian  Baptists  have  had  good  school- 
ing. Moderately  conservative  in  theology,  they  are  putting 
emphasis  on  the  gospel  of  grace,  the  power  of  the  Spirit  for 
service,  and  the  necessity  of  a  Christlike  hfe  in  church  and 
home,  in  business  and  society.  They  are  facing  bravely  the 
great  responsibilities  which  the  rapid  development  of  the 
country  is  thrusting  upon  them,  and  hope  by  God's  blessing 
to  strengthen  the  kingdom  of  God  in  Canada  and  make 
some  worthy  contribution  to  its  spread  throughout  the  world. 

J.   H.  Farmer. 


PART  II 
THE  MARITIME  PROVINCES 

I.     from    1752   TO    1S09. 

The  history  of  the  Baptists  of  the  Maritime  Provinces 
begins  with  the  coming  of  German  immigrants  to  Halifax  in 
1752,  and  with  the  coming  to  Nova  Scotia  of  New  England 
people  in  1760,  to  settle  the  lands  made  vacant  by  the  expul- 
sion of  the  French  in  1755.  The  first  Baptist  of  the  Mari- 
time Provinces,  as  far  as  is  known,  was  a  man  named  Andres, 
who  came  from  Holland,  and  as  early  as  1752,  was  settled  in 
Lunenburg.     The   first    New  England    Baptist   to  settle   in 

K 


146      THE    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    DOMINION    OF    CANADA 

Nova  Scotia  was  Rev.  Ebenezer  Moulton,  who  moved  from 
Brimfield,  Mass.,  to  Yarmouth,  in  1761,  and  was  residing  in 
Yarmouth  as  late  as  1770.  In  1763  he  visited  Horton  and 
Cornwallis,  where  his  preaching  resulted  in  a  revival  of  re- 
ligion. In  the  same  year  he  organized,  at  Horton,  a  church 
composed  of  Baptists  and  Congregationalists. 

In  1763  Rev.  Nathan  Mason,  another  New  England  Bap- 
tist, organized  a  church  of  thirteen  members  at  Swansea, 
Mass.,  and  emigrated  with  it  to  Sackville,  New  Brunswick, 
where  he  remained  with  his  church  for  eight  years.  In  that 
period  it  increased  to  about  sixty  members.  Mr.  Mason  and 
the  greater  part  of  those  who  came  with  him  returned  to 
New  England  in  1771.  When  Joseph  Crandall  visited  Sack- 
ville in  1778  he  found  only  one  or  two  persons  who  had 
been  immersed.  About  1763  Rev.  John  Sutton  visited  New- 
port, N.  S. ,  where  he  immersed  Daniel  Dimock,  who  before 
coming,  in  1760,  from  Connecticut  to  Nova  Scotia,  held  Bap- 
tist views.  Among  the  immigrants  from  New  England  to 
Horton  and  Cornwallis  in  1761  was  a  number  of  Baptists. 
The  first  church  was  formed  at  Horton  (now  the  Wolfville 
Baptist  Church)  on  October  29,  1778.  It  was  organized  by 
Nicholas  Pierson,  who  had  been  a  local  Baptist  preacher  in 
England,  and  was  composed  of  ten  persons,  who  are  by  some 
called  "the  fathers  and  founders  of  the  Baptist  denomination 
in  the  Maritime  Provinces." 

At  its  organization  what  is  called  close  communion  was 
agreed  upon  as  the  doctrine  and  practice  of  the  church,  but 
in  1780  it  was  resolved  "that  the  Congregational  brethren 
who  are  sound  in  the  faith  be  invited  to  sit  down  with  us  at 
the  Lord's  table  occasionally,  and  that  the  mode  of  baptism 
is  no  bar  to  communion."  With  the  organization  of  the 
Horton  Church,  Baptists  of  the  Maritime  Provinces  entered 
upon  an  independent  existence,  and  thenceforth  contended 
for  the  faith  with  increasing  zeal  and  devotion. 

Rev.  Nicholas  Pierson,  the  first  pastor,  retired  from  office 
in  1791  and  moved  to  Hopewell,  N.  B.  His  successor  was 
Rev.  Theodore  Beth  Harding,  who  ministered  to  the  church 
from  June,  1795,  to  his  death  in  1855.  His  ministry  was 
fruitful  in  great  blessings  to  his  church  and  the  denomina- 
tion. When  he  began  his  pastorate  his  was  the  only  Baptist 
church  in  these  provinces  except  the  small  church  in  Halifax  ; 
when  he  died  the  denomination  numbered  200  churches. 
When  his  ministry  began  the  Baptists  probably  had  less  than 
a  hundred  members  ;  when  his  ministry  closed  they  num- 
bered not  less  than  18,000  communicants. 


THE    MARITIME    PROVINCES  I47 

Rev.  Thomas  Handley  Chipman  was  immersed  at  Horton 
by  Mr.  Pierson  in  1779,  and  soon  began  liis  ministry,  which 
proved  to  be  very  successful.  He  was  the  first  of  the  New 
Light  preachers  to  be  immersed  ;  Rev.  Joseph  Dinwek,  con- 
verted at  Newport  in  1785  and  baptized  at  Horton  in  1787, 
was  the  second,  and  James  Manning,  immersed  by  Rev! 
Thomas  Handley  Chipman,  was  the  third.  Thus  Baptist 
sentiment  increased  and  many  laymen  followed  the  example 
of  the  ministers. 

David  George,  who  was  born  a  slave  in  Virginia  about 
1742,  came  from  the  Southern  States,  with  many  other  people 
of  color  and  a  large  number  of  whites,  to  Halifax  in  1782. 
He  preached  at  Preston  and  baptized  a  few  converts.  At 
Shelburne  he  baptized  converts  and  organized  a  church  of 
six  members.  In  1798  Joseph  Crandall  held  revival  services 
at  Sackville,  N.  B.,  where,  on  October  4,  1799,  a  church  of 
about  twenty  members  was  organized,  of  which  Mr.  Crandall 
was  ordained  pastor,  October  8,   1799. 

During  the  year  1800  Mr.  Crandall  preached  at  Norton, 
Belleisle,  Waterborough,  Kingsclear,  Woodstock,  and  many 
otlier  places  in  New  Brunswick,  his  meetings  resulting  in 
numerous  conversions.  At  Waterborough,  Elijah  Estabrooks, 
minister  of  the  Congregationalists  of  the  place,  was  baptized' 
and  his  example  was  followed  by  many  of  his  people.  The 
Waterborough  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  1800. 

From  April,  1798,  to  June,  1799,  revivals  occurred  at 
various  places  between  Horton  and  Yarmouth.  Harris 
Harding,  who  became  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  denomination, 
was  baptized  by  Rev.  James  Manning  in  August,  i  799. 

Thus  by  the  immersion  of  New  Light  ministers  and  of 
many  others,  during  the  revivals  that  were  constantly  occur- 
ring, the  number  of  Baptists  was  largely  increased.  Their 
common  desires  and  interests  soon  led  them  to  unite  for 
mutual  help  and  the  advancement  of  their  principles.  And 
so  it  came  to  pass  that  the  Association  of  the  Baptist  churches 
of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick  was  organized  at  a  meet- 
ing in  Granville,  in  June,  1800.  It  was  composed  of  repre- 
sentatives of  six  churches,  among  whom  were  six  ministers. 
The  churches  at  this  time  included  Baptists  and  Congrega- 
tionalists and  mixed  communion  continued  to  be  practised 
until  1809. 

The  faith  and  order  of  the  Association  were  to  be  the  same 
as  in  the  Confession  of  Faith  adopted  by  upward  of  one  hun- 
dred congregations  in  Great  Britain  in  the  year  1687,  and 
adopted  by  the  Association  of  Philadelphia  in  1742. 


148      THE    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    DOMINION    OF    CANADA 

From  the  first,  Baptists  met  with  bitter  opposition  from 
members  of  other  bodies  whose  doctrines  and  practices  were 
necessarily  assailed  by  Baptist  teaching.  Their  preaching  of 
the  cross,  with  the  related  doctrines  of  human  depravity,  of 
the  necessity  of  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  of  justifica- 
tion by  faith,  and  of  sanctification  by  the  Spirit,  gave  constant 
offense  to  those  who  held  the  baptismal  regeneration  view 
and  kindred  ideas.  The  ministers,  by  their  zeal  and  faithful- 
ness in  self-sacrificing  labors,  witnessed  a  good  confession  of 
Jesus  Christ.  They  "  went  everywhere  preaching  the  word  "  ; 
they  labored  night  and  day  to  extend  the  knowledge  of  Christ; 
they  counted  it  joy  to  suffer  for  Christ's  sake.  And  while 
death  wrought  in  them,  hfe  increased  among  the  people  ;  for 
a  considerable  multitude  became  obedient  to  the  faith, 

II.    FROM   1809  TO   1846. 

The  early  years  of  the  nineteenth  century  witnessed  steady 
increase  of  the  body  in  numbers  and  power.  In  1810,  when 
the  Association  met  at  Sackville,  N.  B.,  fourteen  churches 
reported,  having  an  aggregate  membership  of  924.  In  182 1 
the  membership  had  reached  1827,  nearly  twice  what  it 
was  eleven  years  before.  In  182 1  the  Association  was  divided, 
the  churches  in  Nova  Scotia  uniting  in  the  Nova  Scotia  As- 
sociation and  those  of  New  Brunswick  in  the  New  Brunswick 
Association. 

This  change  of  organization  showed  the  growth  and  confi- 
dence of  the  body,  and  it  also  no  doubt  promoted  the  de- 
nomination's interests.  The  New  Brunswick  Association  was 
composed  of  the  following  churches  :  Germain  Street,  St. 
John,  Rev.  Richard  Scott,  pastor  ;  Sackville,  Sahsbury,  Rev. 
Joseph  Crandall,  pastor ;  Waterborough,  Prince  William, 
Rev.  L.  Hammond,  pastor ;  Wakefield,  Keswick,  Frederic- 
ton,  Rev.  T.  S.  Harding,  pastor;  St.  Mary's,  Stellarton, 
Norton,  Rev.  Francis  Pickle,  pastor  ;  Miramichi,  Hopewell, 
Rev.  Nathan  Cleaveland,  pastor.  This  Association  was  com- 
posed of  six  ministers,  thirteen  churches,  and  506  members. 
It  was  organized  in  July,  1822,  at  St.  John. 

The  years  1827  and  1828  are  memorable  in  the  history  of 
Maritime  Baptists;  for  in  1827  Granville  Street  Church, 
Halifax,  was  organized,  and  in  1828  the  Association  decided 
to  enter  upon  the  work  of  denominational  education.  As 
the  Baptist  body  in  these  Provinces  owed  its  existence  to  the 
evangelical  preaching  of  Henry  Alline  and  others,  so  the  new 
impulse  received  by  the  organization  of  Granville  Street 
Church,  where  there  was  received  a  number  of  devoted,  edu- 


THE    MARITIME    PROVINCES  1 49 

cated  men  who  became  leaders  in  the  denomination's  un- 
dertakings, was  due  to  the  evangeUcal  preaching  of  the  Rev. 
T.  Twining,  curate  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  Halifax,  under 
whose  ministry  a  number  of  persons  were  converted.  Bishop 
Inglis,  then  rector  of  St.  Paul's,  was  strongly  opposed  to 
evangelical  preaching,  and  secured  the  dismissal  of  Mr. 
Twining  from  the  curacy.  Thereupon  a  large  portion  of  the 
congregation  withdrew,  and  with  Mr.  Twining  as  leader,  es- 
tablished separate  services,  and  built  a  meeting-house.  The 
seceders  were  unable,  however,  to  retain  their  connection 
with  the  Church  of  England,  as  they  had  hoped,  and  the 
greater  part  returned  to  St.  Paul's.  But  a  number  had  be- 
come convinced  of  the  correctness  of  Baptist  doctrine  and 
united  to  form  the  Granville  Street  Church,  which  was  organ- 
ized by  Professor  Irah  Chase,  of  Newton  Theological  Insti- 
tution, September  27,  1827.  Alexis  Caswell  was  the  first  pas- 
tor. The  formation  of  this  church  brought  into  the  Baptist 
body  a  number  of  men  of  culture  and  high  standing,  among 
whom  were  James  W.  Johnstone,  E.  A.  Crawley,  J.  W.  Nut- 
ting, Lewis  Johnston,  m.  d.  ,  and  others.  The  membership 
of  the  churches  was  1,711,  which,  by  the  addition  of  the  Yar- 
mouth Church  next  year,  was  increased  to  2,055.  At  the 
same  date  (1827)  there  were  fifteen  ministers  in  New  Bruns- 
wick, and  the  aggregate  membership  was  1,374,  while  the 
total  membership  in  both  Provinces  was  3,429. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Nova  Scotia  Association  of  1828, 
held  at  Horton,  there  was  a  full  discussion  of  the  educational 
needs  of  the  body  and  a  decision  was  reached  to  undertake 
the  establishment  of  a  literary  and  theological  institution.  As 
this  department  of  the  denomination's  work  has  been  made 
the  subject  of  another  sketch  in  this  volume  nothing  further 
need  be  said  of  it  here. 

From  1828  to  1846  the  denomination  made  continuous 
progress  in  numbers  and  influence.  The  growth  of  Horton 
Academy  and  Acadia  College  had  inspired  additional  confi- 
dence and  new  enthusiasm.  The  need  of  co-operation  was 
seen,  and  in  1846  the  Baptist  Convention  of  Nova  Scotia, 
New  Brunswick,  and  Prince  Edward  Island  was  organized. 

III.  FROM  1846  TO  1900. 

When  the  Convention  was  formed  the  membership  of  the 
three  provinces  was  14,177.  The  Associations  had  always 
co-operated  in  matters  affecting  the  general  interest  of  the 
churches,  but  the  organization  of  the  Convention  added 
greatly  to  the  unity  and  strength  of  the  denomination.     The 


150      THE    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    DOMINION    OF    CANADA 

objects  of  the  Convention  were,  "  to  advance  the  interests  of 
the  Baptist  denomination  and  of  the  cause  of  God  generally  ; 
to  maintain  the  religious  and  charitable  institutions"  of  the 
body. 

Acadia  College  became  the  college  of  the  Convention,  and 
so  of  all  the  provinces  ;  foreign  missions  occupied  more  of 
the  mind  and  heart  of  the  people  when  the  Convention  took 
up  the  work,  and  home  missions  at  a  later  period  passed  from 
control  of  the  smaller  societies  and  Boards  into  the  manage- 
ment of  the  general  body.  The  churches  increased  in  num- 
bers and  other  elements  of  strength. 

In  1900  Nova  Scotia  had  197  churches  having  an  aggregate 
membership  of  30,008  ;  New  Brunswick  had  171  churches, 
with  a  membership  of  19,223  ;  and  Prince  Edward  Island 
twenty-seven  churches,  with  a  total  membership  of  2,159. 

In  1850  the  denomination  in  the  Maritime  Provinces  had 
15,564  members  ;  in  i860  it  had  145  ordained  ministers,  248 
churches,  and  20,760  members;  in  1870  there  were  155  min- 
isters, 303  churches,  and  27,981  members;  in  1880  the  num- 
ber of  ministers  was  194,  the  number  of  churches  344,  the 
membership  38,794;  in  1890  there  were  217  ministers,  389 
churches,  and  41,808  members  ;  in  1900  the  number  of  min- 
isters was  250,  the  number  of  churches  411,  and  the  member- 
ship 5I-390. 

In  1846  the  Baptists  had  one  communicant  for  about 
thirty-four  of  the  population  ;  in  1S94  (when  the  examina- 
tion was  made  for  the  Jubilee  meeting  of  the  Convention  in 
1895)  they  had  one  communicant  for  about  every  nineteen 
of  the  people.  While  the  population  between  1846  and 
1894  increased  about  eighty  per  cent.,  the  Baptist  member- 
ship increased  about  218  per  cent.,  or  more  than  two  and 
one  half  times  as  fast. 

With  the  increase  of  the  churches  it  became  necessary  to 
divide  the  Associations.  In  1850  it  was  decided  to  divide 
the  Nova  Scotia  Association  into  three  Associations,  to  be 
known  as  the  Western,  Central,  and  Eastern  Associations, 
and  these  three  Associations  were  organized  in  1S51.  The 
old  Nova  Scotia  Association  did  a  great  work.  It  gave  birth 
to  home  and  foreign  missions,  to  educational  institutions,  to 
Sabbath-school  organizations,  and  to  agencies  designed  to  pro- 
mote the  revision  and  circulation  of  the  sacred  Scriptures. 

The  New  Brunswick  Association,  organized  in  182 1,  con- 
tinued its  work  of  fostering  home  and  foreign  missions  and 
educational  enterprises  until  1847,  when  it  was  divided  into 
two  Associations,  the  Eastern  and  the  Western.      In   1880 


THE    MARITIME    PROVINCES  I5I 

the  churches  were  grouped  into  three  Associations,  known 
as  the  Western,  Southern,  and  Eastern.  In  1868  the  churches 
of  Prince  Edward  Ishmd,  which  had  hitherto  been  connected 
with  the  Eastern  Association  of  Nova  Scotia,  united  to  form 
the  Prince  Edward  Island  Association. 

The  foregoing  statements  will,  it  is  believed,  furnish  a 
brief  outline  of  the  history  of  the  Baptists  of  the  Maritime 
Provinces  as  far  as  their  life  appears  in  their  organizations. 
But  to  write,  even  in  part,  an  account  of  the  inner  life  of  the 
body,  its  struggles  and  triumphs,  to  describe  the  opposition 
and  difficulties  it  encountered,  would  require  more  space 
than  can  be  allowed  to  this  sketch.  Some  features  of  the 
history,  however,  may  be  briefly  noted  : 

1.  The  denomination  has  had  its  own  personality  and  re- 
tained its  characteristic  qualities  through  all  the  changes  inci- 
dent to  growth.  The  unfolding  of  its  life  has  not  destroyed 
its  identity,  its  progress  has  not  interfered  with  its  stabihty. 
The  characteristics  of  a  religious  body  are  its  message,  its 
fdeals,  its  spirit,  and  the  strength  of  its  personality.  Its 
power  is  largely  determined  by  its  message  and  the  power  of 
its  personality.  And  the  message  sought  to  be  given,  and 
the  declaring  of  which  has  brought  power  to  INIaritime  Bap- 
tists, has  remained  essentially  the  same  through  its  history. 

2.  The  personal  experience,  the  high  moral  character  of 
the  ministers,  and  the  depth  and  clearness  of  their  religious 
conviction  gave  power  to  their  ministry  that  enemies  could 
not  resist.  There  is  no  explanation  of  their  success,  except 
that  God  was  with  them.  The  ministers  whose  names  have 
been  recorded  in  the  foregoing  sketch,  and  many  others  whose 
names  do  not  appear,  were  men  who  bore  the  signature  and 
stamp  of  the  Most  High.  The  entire  denomination  has  been 
a  Home  Missionary  Society,  the  ministers  and  laymen  co- 
operating in  evangelistic  effort. 

3.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  that  was  in  the  disciples  was  mani- 
fested in  their  desire  for  conversion  of  the  heathen.  In  1S14, 
at  the  Association  held  at  Chester,  "  a  contribution  was  made 
for  the  poor  heathen."  It  amounted  to  $34.60.  This  may 
be  regarded  as  the  commencement  of  our  foreign  missionary 
enterprise.  In  1845  Rev.  R.  E.  Burpee  and  wife,  the  first 
foreign  missionaries  of  Maritime  Baptists,  arrived  at  Mergui 
and  began  work.  After  contributing  for  many  years  to  the 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  it  was  decided  to  under- 
take an  independent  mission,  and  in  1873  three  brethren  and 
their  wives,  and  another  lady  missionary,  were  sent  to  Burma. 
In  1875  they  moved  to  India  and  began  the  work  among  the 


152      THE    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    DOMINION    OF    CANADA 

Telugus,  which  has  continued  to  the  present.  In  1900  our 
missionaries  in  India  numbered  fifteen,  and  five  others  were 
on  furlough.  There  are  seven  cliurches,  with  314  members, 
connected  with  the  mission.  The  receipts  for  the  year  were 
^20,844.59. 

The  late  S.  T.  Rand,  d.  d.  ,  for  many  years  labored  among 
the  Indians  of  the  Maritime  Provinces,  translated  large  por- 
tions of  the  Scriptures  into  the  Micmac  language,  and  pre- 
pared the  way  for  the  evangelization  of  this  long-neglected 
people. 

4.  The  churches  have  been  scattered  over  a  wide  area  ; 
and  especially  in  the  early  years  of  the  denomination's  history 
traveling  was  difficult,  so  that  the  brethren  could  seldom 
meet  one  another.  But  they  were  one  in  spirit  and  in  doc- 
trine and  united,  in  face  of  opposition  from  without,  in  the 
greatest  and  most  unifying  of  all  service,  the  extension  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  The  denominational  spirit  was  fostered  and 
the  unity  of  the  body  promoted  by  the  denominational  press. 

In  1827,  when  the  Baptists  had  only  2,694  members,  they 
began  the  publication,  at  Halifax,  of  the  "Baptist  Missionary 
Magazine."  In  1837  this  magazine  was  merged  in  the 
"Christian  Messenger,"  which  in  1885  was  united  with  the 
**  Christian  Visitor"  to  form  the  present  denominational 
organ,  "The  Messenger  and  Visitor."  The  "Christian 
Visitor,"  the  organ  of  New  Brunswick  Baptists,  was  published 
at  St.  John  from  1847  to  1885. 

The  Maritime  religious  newspapers  were  founded  at  the 
following  dates:  "  The  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine,"  1827  ; 
"The  Christian  Messenger,"  1837;  "  The  Christian  Visitor," 
1847;  "The  Presbyterian  Witness,"  1848;  "The  Wes- 
leyan,"  1849  ;  "The  Religious  Intelligencer"  (organ  of  the 
Free  Baptists),  1854;   "The  Messenger  and  Visitor,"  1885. 

5.  The  Baptists  have  been  forward  in  advocacy  of  tem- 
perance and  all  the  moral  and  religious  movements  of  the 
land  in  which  they  live.  This  fact  has  added  to  their  power 
and  has  won  for  them  the  respect  of  the  people  at  large. 

While  recognizing  the  incompleteness  of  their  service  they 
have  reason  for  gratitude  that,  under  God,  they  have  accom- 
plished so  much. 

The  historical  statements  in  the  foregoing  sketch  have 
been  taken,  for  the  most  part,  from  the  forthcoming  "His- 
tory of  Maritime  Baptists,"  by  E.  M.  Saunders,  D.  D. ,  and 
from  "The  History  of  the  Ba^^tists,"  by  I.  E.  Bill,  d.  d. 

E.  M.  Keirstead. 


XII 


TWO  GENERATIONS  OF  BAPTISTS  IN 
AUSTRALASIA 


I.    THE    BACKGROUND. 

Australia,  Tasmania,  and  New  Zealand  are  about  the 
size  of  the  United  States,  more  than  twenty-five  times  the 
size  of  the  United  Kingdom,  and  three-quarters  the  size  of 
Europe.  New  Zealand  has  its  population  of  800,000  fairly 
distributed,  but  in  Australia  the  people  are  found  around  the 
margin  of  a  waterless  continent,  chiefly  in  the  southeast,  so 
that,  all  told,  there  are  but  4,000,000,  as  many  as  in  Scot- 
land or  London  or  lUinois,  and  fewer  than  in  Canada. 

Speaking  broadly,  the  population  is  homogeneous,  and  in 
its  religious  relations  is  closely  allied  to  Great  Britain,  whence 
the  leading  ministers  of  all  churches  are  still  drawn,  though 
the  newer  policy  of  the  country  is  checking  this  tide.  The 
position  of  Baptists  in  this  newest  world  is  thus  affected 
by  their  position  in  England  as  "  Dissenters  and  Noncon- 
formists," which  phrase  may  still  be  heard,  despite  its  inap- 
pHcabihty  in  lands  where  all  churches  are  free  and  none  are 
controlled  or  endowed  by  the  State. 

II.    TASMANIA. 

This  pleasant  island,  with  a  population  of  180,000  scat- 
tered over  25,000  square  miles,  presents  singular  difficulties 
for  Christian  work.  There  are  two  historic  centers,  at  Hobart 
and  Launceston,  with  nearly  a  century's  history. 

In  1834  Rev.  H.  Bowling  came  from  England  for  mis- 
sionary work  and  alhed  himself  with  the  thirty-four  Baptists 
then  known  in  the  island.  A  church  of  Strict  Baptists  was 
founded  in  1835  at  Hobart,  which  presently  changed  to  an 
open  communion  basis,  and  within  two  years  became  nearly 
extinct.  It  rallied  in  1859,  but  dissolved  after  thirteen  years 
owing  to  "Disciple"  preaching,  and  an  attempt  to  revive  it 
failed.  The  second  church  was  formed  at  Launceston,  in 
1836,  of  the  Strict  Baptist  type,  and  still  survives,  though  not 
in  touch  with  any  other. 

153 


I  54    TWO  GENERATIONS  OF  BAPTISTS  IN  AUSTRALASIA 

In  1862  a  new  departure  was  made  by  single  individuals 
building  and  partially  endowing  churches.  The  Gibsons,  of 
Perth,  kept  up  this  pohcy,  and  so  between  1880  and  1890 
ten  churches  of  a  new  type  arose  in  the  north,  for  which 
ministers  were  brought  from  Spurgeon's  college. 

An  act  of  incorporation  empowered  a  Union  to  take  pos- 
session of  property  belonging  to  dead  or  dying  churches. 
The  Union  was  also  granted  some  control  over  the  settlement 
of  pastors,  with  a  claim  on  them  to  travel  and  evangehze. 
Model  by-laws  for  each  church  and  an  unalterable  schedule 
of  doctrines  were  appended  to  the  act,  and  an  appeal  was 
allowed  to  lie  to  the  Union  in  cases  of  church  discipline. 
Already,  however,  defects  have  disclosed  themselves  in  the  plan 
so  that  the  Union  must  soon  apply  to  the  State  for  a  new  act. 

III.     NEW    SOUTH    WALES. 

A  century  ago  this,  the  senior  Colony,  was  peopled  by 
some  5,000  Englishmen  under  the  arbitrary  rule  of  a  naval 
captain.  With  the  close  of  the  Napoleonic  wars  farmers 
settled  beyond  the  eastern  ranges,  but  it  was  the  European 
political  movements  of  1830  that  aroused  a  corresponding 
desire  for  local  self-help.  Forthwith  the  Baptists  of  Sydney 
drew  together  and  appealed  "home  "  to  the  Enghsh  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  for  a  minister.  Rev.  J.  Saunders  was 
sent,  and  early  in  1836  the  first  church  was  formed  at 
Bathurst  Street  on  open  communion  lines.  Indeed,  at  first 
it  was  even  mixed  in  membership,  with  three  Baptists  and 
three  Independents,  besides  the  pastor. 

For  long  this  was  the  only,  or  the  only  important  church. 
But  when,  about  1854,  the  stream  of  free  immigrants  in- 
creased and  responsible  government  was  attained,  the  condi- 
tions of  Baptist  progress  were  present.  Within  twelve  years 
there  were  six  other  churches  near  Sydney,  five  near  New- 
castle, and  four  others  inland.  Stirred  in  1868  by  the  great 
strides  of  younger  colonies,  the  newer  churches,  led  by  Revs. 
F.  Hibberd  and  Allan  W.  AVebb,  strove  to  unite  all  Baptists 
for  aggressive  work.  Within  two  years  the  older  churches 
fell  into  line,  but  some  hyper-Calvinists  held  aloof  and  in 
1872  founded  the  Particular  Baptist  Association  of  Australia. 

The  Union  promptly  led  an  attack  on  the  State  endow- 
ment of  denominational  schools,  and  has  ever  been  forward 
in  opposing  such  relics  of  the  European  system.  Something 
was  also  done  toward  guiding  the  studies  of  young  ministers 
and  home  missionaries,  or  aspirants  to  these  posts.  Within 
five  years  a  newspaper  was  issued,  and  a  short-lived  evangel- 


TWO  GENERATIONS  OF  BAPTISTS  IN  AUSTRALASIA     I  55 

ist  society  gave  place  to  foreign  and  home  missionary  so- 
cieties, with  their  many  auxiliaries.  As  a  result  more  than 
eighteen  churches  have  been  originated  by  the  Union. 

Work  outside  of  Sydney  is  dititicult,  as  there  are  only  eight 
people  on  the  average  to  three  square  miles  in  the  country, 
and  as  ten  towns  here  include  100,000,  the  country  proper  is 
very  thinly  populated.  However,  a  volunteer  traveling  agent 
supplied  with  literature  is  doing  good  work.  A  third  of  the 
population  clings  around  the  beautiful  harbor  of  Sydney,  and 
suburban  extension  has  not  quite  kept  pace  with  the  waning 
of  the  mother  church,  which  now  remains  the  oldest  in  Austra- 
lasia. The  great  mining  center  of  liroken  Hill  is  practically 
attached  to  South  i\ustralia,  and  the  Baptist  churches  there 
belong  to  the  South  Australia  Baptist  Union. 

IV.     SOUTH    AUSTRALIA. 

The  huge  province  of  South  Australia  received  its  first 
settlers  in  1836  under  the  auspices  of  a  chartered  company. 
Two  years  later  we  hear  of  some  Baptists  rallying  together  led 
by  the  father  of  Alexander  McLaren,  of  Manchester.  They 
founded  a  church  on  the  close  communion  principle,  but 
from  the  first  this  matter  was  a  cause  of  quarrel  and  division 
more  than  of  union.  Open  communion  Calvinists  soon 
gathered,  and  from  them  presently  seceded  the  North  Ade- 
laide Church. 

Their  first  pastor,  Rev.  G.  Stonehouse.  between  1848  and 
1869  helped  many  little  churches  to  gather  in  the  country 
districts,  and  lived  into  a  new  era  of  consolidation  and  delib- 
erate extension.  But  all  through  these  twenty  years  there 
was  much  confusion  as  to  the  application  of  the  term  "Bap- 
tist." On  the  one  hand,  all  who  practised  immersion  recog- 
nized a  certain  kinship,  though  terming  themselves  "  Disciples 
of  Christ"  or  "Christians"  ;  on  the  other,  the  Congrega- 
tionalists  often  claimed  Baptists  as  a  junior  branch. 

In  i860  a  new  departure  w^as  decided  on  ;  Mr.  Mead,  a 
young  London  graduate,  was  brought  out,  a  new  church 
formed,  and  a  grand  pile  of  buildings  erected  on  a  main 
thoroughfare  of  Adelaide.  The  leading  preachers  of  Aus- 
tralia, both  Baptists,  were  brought  from  Melbourne  to  in- 
augurate the  new  movement. 

The  initiative  of  Victoria  was  followed  by  establishing  an 
Association,  into  which  a  vain  attempt  was  made  to  compre* 
hend  all  immersionist  churches.  At  this  time  there  were 
three  Baptist  churches  in  Adelaide,  two  others  within  a  few 
miles,  and  seventeen  others  dotted  about  the  south  of  the 


156    TWO  GENERATIONS  OF  BAPTISTS  IN  AUSTRALASIA 

province — all  that  is  really  occupied  even  yet  by  a  white 
population. 

Mr.  Mead  soon  revealed  himself  to  be  a  leader  of  the 
first  order  ;  the  churches  were  consohdated,  a  monthly  news- 
paper was  printed,  and  an  aggressive  policy  was  adopted  in 
the  press  and  on  the  platform.  As  the  towns  grew  or  new 
districts  were  opened,  Baptist  churches  were  planted.  Funds 
were  gathered  for  building  and  other  purposes,  and  an  interest 
created  in  Indian  missions  that  demands  separate  notice. 

As  the  century  closes  it  leaves  Baptist  communicants  more 
numerous  than  even  those  of  the  Church  of  England  within 
the  province,  and  stronger  in  proportion  than  in  any  other 
part  of  Australasia.  But  all  the  churches  are  of  mixed 
membership,  and  several  members  are  not  baptized,  esti- 
mates varying  from  five  to  twenty-five  per  cent.  Most  of 
the  ministers  are  locally  trained,  and  many  of  them  may 
almost  be  said  to  preach  Christian  sociahsm  or  other  doctrines 
of  applied  Christianity. 

V.    VICTORIA. 

Baptists  in  Victoria  began  assembhng  in  1839,  but  the 
different  types  could  not  readily  amalgamate  in  one  church. 
A  few  united  in  a  suburb  of  Melbourne  and  founded  a  "  Re- 
hoboth,"  named  after  a  Sydney  church,  whence  their  pastor 
had  just  come.  This  first  church  in  Victoria  became  extinct 
in  1868. 

The  second  was  an  open  communion  church,  gathered 
under  Rev.  J.  Ham,  who  spent  1 843-1 848  building  up  this 
cause.  Soon  after  his  leaving  for  Sydney  the  brethren  di- 
vided and  another  strong  church  arose.  Before  long  Revs. 
James  Taylor  and  Isaac  New  hfted  these  two  into  the  front 
rank.  With  the  outbreak  of  the  gold  fever,  churches  were 
planted  in  the  new  centers  and  Mr.  Taylor  began  training 
men  to  develop  them. 

Baptists  in  the  old  country  were  entering  on  a  new  era 
with  the  preaching  of  Spurgeon  and  the  enterprise  of  Morton 
Peto.  The  visit  of  Doctor  Binney  to  Australasia  roused  a  like 
enthusiasm  here,  and  in  1862  an  Association  was  formed  which 
rapidly  attracted  most  of  the  Baptist  churches  within  the 
Colony.  Within  ten  years  many  new  churches  were  founded, 
an  Itinerant  Preachers'  Society  helping  somewhat ;  Hindu 
preachers  were  set  to  work  in  Bengal ;  a  Home  Mission  saw 
to  the  frontiers  of  Victoria ;  and  the  education  of  candidates 
for  the  ministry  was  attended  to  by  Rev.  James  Martin,  b. 
A.,  jointly  with  the  Congregationahsts. 


TWO  GENERATIONS  OF  BAPTISTS  IN   AUSTRALASIA     I  5/ 

Unfortunately,  this  display  of  central  energy,  however 
natural  a  consequence  of  the  methods  in  vogue  for  politics, 
seems  to  have  weakened  the  fibre  of  local  Baptists,  and  the 
spontaneous  formation  of  churches  almost  ceased.  The 
establishment  of  the  "Victorian  Freeman  "  did  much  to  edu- 
cate and  consolidate  the  denomination,  but  the  standing  of 
Baptists  relative  to  other  bodies  seems  to  have  grown  worse. 

The  stagnation  ended  when  one  or  two  wealthy  and  enter- 
prising business  men  roused  the  Union  to  celebrate  the 
jubilee  of  the  Colony  by  raising  a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars 
to  found  a  theological  seminary,  to  aid  in  erecting  churches 
and  schools,  to  supplement  pastors'  stipends,  and  to  pension 
aged  ministers.  William  McLean,  Rev.  S.  Chapman,  and 
others,  carried  this  through,  and  McLaren,  of  Manchester, 
was  brought  out  at  its  completion  to  inspire  the  community. 

Other  able  laymen  have  guided  the  new  movements,  and, 
despite  the  financial  disasters  of  the  Colony,  extension  has 
gone'  on  steadily.  The  Home  Mission  maintains  services 
at  one  hundred  stations  by  the  agency  of  twenty-one  mis- 
sionaries, with  such  success  that  two  or  three  weak  churches 
have  desired  inclusion  in  the  circuit  system.  The  mission  is 
now  beginning  to  occupy  some  of  the  larger  towns  where 
local  Baptists  have  not  been  energetic  enough  to  act  for 
themselves.  Absolutely,  though  not  relatively,  Victoria  is 
the  stronghold  of  Baptists  in  Australasia,  and  Melbourne  has 
the  largest  church  south  of  the  equator. 

VI.     NEW    ZEALAND. 

Dutch  Baptists  did  nothing  in  this  Colony  discovered  by 
their  countrymen.  Christianity  was  introduced  to  the  ALioris 
in  1814,  British  colonists  began  arriving  in  1839  and  brought 
their  flag  and  their  creeds  with  them.  The  early  settlements 
were  by  members  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland  and  of 
the  Church  of  England. 

Baptist  only  drew  together  in  1851,  just  before  the  islands 
obtained  responsible  government.  Rev.  D.  Dolamore  founded 
the  first  church  at  Nelson  ;  the  second,  at  Auckland,  dates 
from  the  majority  of  the  Colony,  in  1852.  For  a  while  each 
church  strengthened  its  stakes,  the  latter  especially  thrivmg 
under  Revs.  Allan  W.  Webb  and  Thomas  Spurgeon,  till  it 
lengthened  its  cords  over  the  districts  around. 

When  the  Baptist  wave  reached  these  shores,  in  1863,  the 
Scotch  provincial  capital  was  touched,  and  the  Baptist  church 
of  Dunedin  started  on  its  prosperous  course.  Next  year  an- 
other w^as  planted  in  the  Episcopal  center  of  Christ  Church. 


158    TWO  GENERATIONS  OF  BAPTISTS  IN  AUSTRALASIA 

More  and  more  coast  towns  were  thus  occupied,  and  when  in 
1876  the  provincial  system  of  government  was  abolished, 
Wellington,  the  colonial  capital,  saw  its  Baptists  draw  together. 

All  social  life  on  the  islands  is  on  the  seaboard,  and  com- 
munication has  long  been  difficult;  but  in  1883  a  Union 
was  formed,  and  within  four  years  the  churches  had  joined 
for  foreign  missions  and  for  training  theological  students. 

New  Zealand  and  South  Australia  are  remarkable  for  their 
paternal  pubhc  spirit ;  the  Baptists  of  these  Colonies  have 
lived  up  to  this  reputation  in  many  ways,  including  the  estab- 
lishment of  annuity  schemes  for  aged  ministers  and  mission- 
aries. Although  New  Zealand  is  geographically  and  politically 
somewhat  aloof  from  Australia,  Baptists,  both  of  pew  and 
pulpit,  freely  migrate  across  the  waters. 

VII.     QUEENSLAND. 

With  the  arrival  of  picked  God-fearing  people  at  Moreton 
Bay,  in  1849,  we  find  Baptists  in  a  union  church,  whose  first 
pastor  was  a  Baptist.  They  drew  off  in  1855,  and  three  years 
later  obtained  a  minister  from  home  by  the  mediation  of 
the  Baptist  Missionary  Society.  Rev.  B.  G.  Wilson  labored 
for  twenty  years  and  promoted  the  formation  of  many  other 
churches,  some  being  close  communion.  His  last  act  was  to 
join  in  establishing  an  Association  which  has  since  gathered 
in  practically  all  the  Baptist  churches,  including  some  of 
German  nationality  and  speech.  Rev.  W.  Poole  founded 
a  newspaper  in  1880  which,  by  its  excellence  and  cheapness, 
does  much  to  link  the  churches  together.  This  is  very  neces- 
sary when  a  dozen  are  dotted  around  a  coast  of  2,500  miles, 
and  the  towns  are  not  joined  by  one  railway  system. 

VIII.     WEST    AUSTRALIA. 

The  first  church  was  formed  in  West  Australia,  in  1894,  at 
Fremantle,  by  an  accountant  from  Victoria,  and  half  a  dozen 
more  were  founded  within  four  years,  served  by  young  min- 
isters trained  in  the  east,  or  by  business  men.  Like  Queens- 
land this  Colony  offers  splendid  opportunities  for  mission 
work,  both  among  the  aborigines  and  the  white  settlers. 
With  the  Rev.  A.  S.  Wilson  as  leader,  buildings  are  rising 
and  home  mission  districts  are  being  organized  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Union. 

IX.    BENGAL   MISSIONS. 

Until  1864  there  were  really  only  four  centers  of  Baptist 
work  on  the  continent,  at  Sydney,  Adelaide,  Melbourne,  and 


TWO  GENERATIONS  OF  BAPTISTS  IN   AUSTRALASIA     I  59 

Brisbane  ;  and  the  only  communication  was  by  broken  voy- 
ages over  2,000  miles  of  stormy  ocean.  Mutual  help  was 
rare,  and  each  of  the  older  Colonies  wrought  out  its  own 
schemes  for  itself.  But  missionary  work  has  ever  been  a 
passion  with  Baptists,  and  immigrants  from  England  could 
not  forget  the  work  of  Carey  in  Bengal.  This  cause  elicited 
the  first  signs  of  co-operation  in  Australasia. 

A  new  line  was  struck  out  in  the  formation  of  societies 
which  from  the  first  were  independent  of  the  British  Society, 
but  have  worked  side  by  side  with  it.  The  same  method  was 
chosen  immediately  afterward  by  the  Baptists  of  the  other 
great  group  of  British  Colonies  in  Canada.  For  a  time  in- 
deed the  older  work  was  subsidized  by  South  Australians  and 
Victorians,  but  the  British  Society  has  gradually  relinquished 
to  Australasian  care  a  number  of  districts  in  East  Bengal,  200 
miles  northeast  of  Calcutta.  Six  English  missionaries  have 
visited  Australia  and  counseled  the  young  societies,  or  have 
superintended  the  work  on  the  field  ;  while  Rev.  John  Greg- 
son,  one  of  Havelock's  chaplains,  was  one  of  the  first  colonial 
secretaries. 

In  1882  the  first  Australian  ladies  went  out  for  zenana 
work,  and  Miss  Arnold,  on  returning,  visited  throughout  Aus- 
tralasia and  roused  a  new  enthusiasm.  In  1887  men  began 
to  follow,  and  to-day  there  are  thirty-six  Australasians  in 
ten  centers,  who  meet  yearly  in  convention  ;  teachers  are 
trained  for  village  schools  and  an  orphanage  and  hospital 
have  been  raised  at  joint  expense. 

From  the  hill  tribe  of  Garos,  evangelized  by  the  Americans, 
some  ten  thousand  have  come  down  to  a  malarious  belt  of 
plain.  Among  these  the  Victorians  have  won  500  converts 
in  five  years,  who  show  some  signs  of  forming  a  self-support- 
ing union  and  undertaking  aggressive  work.  Progress  among 
the  three  million  Hindus  and  five  million  Mohammedans  is 
much  slower,  but  is  to  be  plainly  discerned. 

The  Rev.  A.  North,  who  with  Mr.  Driver  has  done  so 
much  for  the  cause  in  New  Zealand,  has  now  gone  to  Cal- 
cutta and  will  act  as  agent  for  the  societies.  The  Rev.  Silas 
]\Iead,  who  raised  the  banner  in  Australia,  and  for  thirty  years 
upheld  it,  is  now  head  of  Harley  House,  in  London,  training 
missionaries.  Other  veteran  leaders  are  the  Revs.  F.  Hib- 
berd  and  Allan  W,  Webb. 

X.    EDUCATION. 

The  governments  of  Australasia  aim  at  a  rigidly  secular 
universal  free  education  controlled  by  the  State  ;  no  schools 


l6o    TWO  GENERATIONS  OF  BAPTISTS  IN  AUSTRALASIA 

or  colleges  that  impart  religious  instruction  are  aided  with 
public  money  ;  no  universities  are  chartered  except  those  of 
the  State,  which  are  forbidden  to  grant  divinity  degrees,  and 
offer  no  instruction  in  theology. 

Baptists  have  not  grappled  with  the  situation.  The  Roman, 
Anglican,  Presbyterian,  and  Methodist  churches,  which  claim 
six-sevenths  of  the  population,  maintain  schools  and  colleges 
to  supply  the  deficiency  from  their  points  of  view,  but  Bap- 
tists are  too  few  in  any  one  Colony.  So  the  children  of 
Baptists  mostly  go  to  the  State  schools,  where  perhaps  a  vol- 
untary Scripture  lesson  maybe  given  one  hour  a  week  in  play 
hours.  A  few  go  to  private  schools  or  the  proprietary  schools 
and  colleges  of  the  four  great  churches.  The  very  few  who 
push  on  to  the  universities  may  attend  the  Presbyterian  or 
Methodist  colleges  affiliated.  There  is  no  denominational 
love  of  learning  ;  except  for  professional  men  and  ministers, 
it  is  doubtful  if  twenty  Baptists  born  in  Australasia  have  en- 
joyed a  university  education.  Matters  are  very  different  in 
avowedly  religious  education  ;  in  America  eight  members  of 
Baptist  churches  send  three  children  to  Sunday-school,  in 
Australasia  they  send  twelve. 

Ministers  are  still  brought  from  England  for  all  denomina- 
tions. Perhaps  half  of  the  Baptist  pastors  come  thus  from 
home,  and  a  sixth  more  are  converts  from  other  bodies. 
But  the  training  of  colonial  ministers  has  been  pursued  in 
four  centers,  and  dates  back  nearly  to  1850.  For  the  last 
ten  years  the  Baptist  College  of  Victoria,  with  an  endowment 
of  ^125,000,  has  been  at  work,  and  its  alumni  are  now  labor- 
ing in  each  of  the  seven  Colonies. 

XT.     PUBLIC    LIFE. 

Baptists  have  generally  declined  any  gift  from  the  State. 
One  of  the  Victorian  pioneers  was  the  Rev.  David  Rees, 
who  in  England  had  been  largely  instrumental  in  stopping 
the  annual  grants  of  public  money  to  the  State  Church.  This 
pohcy  he  urged  vehemently  in  the  Colonies.  In  a  few  cases, 
where  free  land-grants  were  made  for  all  sorts  of  public  pur- 
poses, allotments  have  been  accepted  for  all  church  buildings, 
but  in  most  of  these  cases  such  acceptance  was  censured  ;  and 
never  has  any  measure  of  public  control  been  conceded. 

Baptists  have  been  forward  in  the  fight  for  rehgious  equal- 
ity, and  America  cannot  show  a  more  complete  triumph  than 
has  been  won  here.  The  new  Federal  Constitution  prohibits 
all  religious  legislation  by  the  Commonwealth  Parliament. 

On  the   other  hand,  Baptists  are  good  citizens,  obeying, 


TWO  GENERATIONS  OF  BAPTISTS  IN  AUSTRALASIA     l6l 

making,  administering,  and  interpreting  the  law.  Never  has 
any  need  arisen  for  Baptist  cliaplains  in  jails  or  refuges  for  the 
destitute.  In  a  country  where  political  life  is  pure,  some  of 
the  prominent  and  most  trusted  members  of  Parliament  and 
ministers  of  the  crown  are  Baptists,  and  the  highest  posts  of 
the  permanent  civil  and  military  services  are  adorned  by 
members  of  our  churches. 

XII.     RELATION    TO    OTHER    CHURCHES. 

Of  a  thousand  Australasians,  sixteen  would  return  them- 
selves in  the  census  as  Baptists,  and  four  of  these  would  be 
actual  members.  There  is  a  total  of  only  20,000  on  the 
rolls,  with  170  ministers  and  missionaries,  not  ten  of  whom 
have  been  through  a  university,  and  forty  of  whom  have  not 
even  studied  at  a  seminary.  The  contrast  with  other  churches 
is  glaring,  and  the  comparative  independence  of  our  churches 
lessens  their  weight  still  further. 

Yet  on  the  other  hand,  Baptists  lead  in  the  ratio  of  com- 
municants to  mere  census  adherents  and  in  the  rate  of  in- 
crease. And  in  everything  relating  to  evangelistic  effort, 
whether  among  the  heathen,  in  the  Colonies,  or  in  single 
towns,  they  exercise  an  influence  out  of  all  proportion  to 
numbers. 

Amicable  relations  are  entertained  with  the  great  Presby- 
terian and  Methodist  Churches,  and  joint  councils  are  often 
held  with  them  and  the  CongregationaHsts, 

XIII.    CO-OPERATION    AMONG    BAPTISTS. 

Many  causes  have  kept  Baptists  asunder.  Besides  small 
numbers  and  great  distances,  there  were  many  types  of  doc- 
trines, and  tolerance  grew  but  slowly.  To-day  there  are 
about  a  dozen  Particular  Baptist  churches  in  an' Association 
of  their  own,  with  a  highly  Calvinistic  and  Anti-Mission 
declaration  of  doctrine.  They  have  seven  pastors,  and  their 
last  annual  meetings  were  attended  and  witnessed  by  fourteen 
men  and  twenty-one  women.  There  are  several  thousand 
"Disciples,"  \vith  whom  Baptists  hold  no  fellowship  ;  there 
are  no  General,  Free-will,  Seventh-day,  or  Unitarian  Bap- 
tists. 

The  immense  majority  are  grouped  in  seven  Unions.  The 
tendency  is  strong  to  incorporate  these  or  their  subsidiary 
agencies,  and  this  leads  to  the  adoption  of  doctrinal  bases. 
Orthodox  as  these  are,  an  Enghshman  is  surprised  at  the 
exaltation  of  any  standard  except  the  New  Testament,  how- 
ever subordinate  it  professes  to  be.     An  American  will  be 

L 


1 62    TWO  GENERATIONS  OF  BAPTISTS  IN  AUSTRALASIA 

equally  surprised  to  learn  that  nearly  all  the  churches  are 
open  communion,  and,  in  South  Austraha,  of  mixed  member- 
ship. He  will  not,  then,  be  surprised  to  hear  that  a  few  pastors 
do  not  care  to  preach  baptism. 

Fortunately,  there  are  many  signs  that  the  danger  is  recog- 
nized, especially  by  the  laymen.  The  prospect  of  a  vigorous 
debate  and  possible  disruption  on  this  matter  need  not 
appall,  if  it  leads  to  a  sturdier  spirit  that  will  compel  respect 
for  its  adhesion  to  principle.  The  Unions  are  hnked  to 
some  extent  by  a  fortnightly  newspaper  circulating  in  four 
Colonies,  by  a  regular  interchange  of  delegates,  and  by  a 
common  interest  in  the  foreign  work. 

XIV.     PAST   AND    FUTURE. 

Reviewing  the  sixty-four  years  during  which  Baptists  have 
been  in  these  southern  lands,  we  see  that  there  has  been  no 
racial  or  political  obstacle  to  progress,  and  that  the  influence 
of  a  State  Church  has  been  only  social  and  slight.  On  the 
other  hand,  there  has  been  no  conflict  or  persecution  such  as 
hardened  early  Baptists  in  Holland,  England,  and  New 
England,  nor  any  such  mighty  revival  as  under  Whitefield 
created  and  refreshed  Baptist  churches  in  England  and 
America. 

Two  hindrances  exist  to  Baptist  progress.  The  whole 
political  trend  is  to  State  socialism,  concentration  of  all 
initiative  and  power  in  the  executive.  Therefore  the 
churches  are  prone  to  expect  the  Unions  to  do  everything 
for  them,  and  to  forget  the  New  Testament  principles  of  self- 
help,  to  which  the  Divine  blessing  is  pledged.  The  same  lax 
grasp  of  Baptist  principle  has  also  led,  most  inconsistently,  to 
a  want  of  loyalty,  so  that  many  undenominational  institu- 
tions, especially  missions,  draw  large  supplies  of  candidates 
and  money,  to  the  detriment  of  purely  Baptist  work.  Should 
these  hindrances  be  removed,  most  of  the  outward  conditions 
are  present  which  might  enable  the  Baptist  churches  of  the 
Commonwealth  to  grow  and  spread  as  those  in  the  sister 
dominion  have  done. 

Valuable  statistics  bearing  on  this  chapter  will  be  found  on 
page  460,  Appendix  B. 

W.  T.  Whitley. 


XIII 


SKETCH  OF  THE  COLORED  BAPTISTS  OF  THE 
UNITED  STATES 


The  story  of  the  progress  of  the  colored  Baptists  as  a  sep- 
arate people  is  one  not  of  a  century,  but  of  a  generation,  and 
yet  we  must  needs  take  a  look  back  of  the  Civil  War,  which 
lies  at  its  beginning. 

The  first  colored  Baptist  church  in  America  was  organized 
in  the  city  of  Savannah,  Ga.,  on  the  twentieth  of  January, 
1788.  Andrew  Bryan,  a  slave,  was  converted  under  the 
preaching  of  a  Negro  minister,  George  Leile,  by  name,  and 
was  by  him  baptized  in  the  Savannah  River,  with  several  other 
converts,  in  the  year  1783.  Shortly  after  his  baptism,  Bryan 
began  to  exhort  his  brethren,  and  soon  developed  such  gifts 
as  a  preacher  that  he  attracted  the  attention  of  his  ma'ster 
and  some  others  and  was  encouraged  to  continue  and  to  hold 
regular  meetings  for  the  slaves.  Conversions  followed  the 
preaching  of  the  word,  and  in  1788,  when  Rev.  Abraham 
Marshall,  one  of  the  noblest  pioneer  white  Baptist  ministers 
of  Georgia,  visited  Savannah,  he  found  a  little  band  of  be- 
lievers. Forty-five  were  ready  for  baptism.  These  were 
baptized,  a  church  was  organized,  and  Andrew  Bryan  was 
ordained  to  the  ministry  and  constituted  the  first  pastor  of 
the  infant  church,  a  position  which  he  held  for  twenty-four 
years,  until  removed  by  death,  in  1812.  Two  churches  in 
Savannah  now  claim  to  be  the  original  first  church,  and  from 
each  party  to  the  controversy  a  history  of  the  church  has 
issued,  setting  forth  its  claims  to  the  succession.  We  may 
not  attempt  to  judge  between  these  contestants,  but  what  is 
certain  is,  that  up  to  1832  the  church  continued  a  united  and 
vital  body,  and  in  one  organization  or  the  other  has  continued 
till  the  present  day. 

During  the  regime  of  slavery,  while  the  great  mass  of  colored 
Baptists  were  members  of  the  white  churches,  many  churches 
of  wholly  colored  membership  were  organized,  especially  in 
the  large  cities.  Of  these  churches  this  Savannah  church 
was  one  of  the  few  of  which  traces  can  be  found  at  the  begin- 

163 


164        COLORED    BAPTISTS    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES 

ning  of  the  century  and  may  be  taken  as  a  type  of  the  class. 
The  membership  was  ahnost  wholly  slave,  and  it  was  only  when 
they  had  ' '  passes, ' '  or  tickets  of  permission  from  their  masters, 
that  the  members  could  attend  public  services.  It  was  not 
legal  for  slaves  to  hold  property  in  their  own  right,  and,  there- 
fore, whatever  property  these  churches  acquired  was  vested 
in  white  trustees  for  their  use  and  benefit.  The  ministers  of 
the  churches,  while  enjoying  full  rights  of  pastors  within  the 
church,  had  no  civil  privileges.  Marriages  were  solemnized 
by  them,  but  there  being  no  civil  recognition  of  marriage 
among  slaves  there  was  no  civil  recognition  of  the  right  of 
colored  ministers  to  perform  the  marriage  ceremony.  In  all 
other  regards  these  churches  were  similar  to  Baptist  churches 
in  general.  In  all  matters  pertaining  to  church  government 
and  discipline  they  were  free  and  independent.  These 
churches  were  admitted  to  Associations  on  equal  terms  with 
the  white  churches  and  their  pastors  received  full  recognition 
among  their  white  brethren,  being  sometimes  appointed  to 
preach  at  Associational  gatherings. 

The  independent  colored  churches  sometimes  enjoyed  the 
ministrations  of  white  pastors.  The  First  Colored  Church, 
of  Richmond,  similar  in  character  to  the  Savannah  church, 
though  of  much  later  date,  is  an  example.  So  eminent  a  man 
as  Dr.  Robert  Ryland,  first  president  of  Richmond  College, 
was  for  twenty-five  years  pastor  of  this  church,  laboring  for  it 
with  great  earnestness  and  baptizing  into  its  fellowship  during 
that  period  over  3,800  persons. 

Only  a  step  removed  from  the  independent  churches  were 
what  were  sometimes  called  colored  branches  of  white 
churches.  In  these  churches,  nominally  one,  there  were 
really  two  organizations.  The  colored  branch  had  its  own 
organization  and  officers  and  acted  freely  in  the  reception 
and  discipline  of  members,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the 
white  body,  which  was  almost  never  withheld.  It  held  its 
own  meetings  for  worship,  generally  on  Sunday  afternoons,  in 
the  church  building  where  the  white  portion  had  worshiped 
in  the  morning.  A  type  of  this  class  of  church  is  found  in 
the  First  Church  of  Montgomery,  Ala.  This  church  had  at 
the  close  of  the  war  a  membership  of  900,  two-thirds  of  whom 
were  Negroes. 

By  far  the  greater  number  of  colored  Baptists  were  mem- 
bers of  white  churches.  Separate  seats  were  provided  for 
them,  generally  in  the  galleries,  sometimes  in  the  body  of  the 
church.  AVhite  and  colored  members  joined  in  the  observ- 
ance of  the  Lord's  Supper,  the  colored  portion  of  the  church 


COLORED    BAPTISTS    OF    TttE    UNITED    STATES         1 65 

being  served  after  the  wliites.  In  some  of  the  large  churches 
separate  services  were  held  for  the  colored  members,  con- 
ducted by  the  white  pastor. 

It  has  already  been  said  that  colored  churches  were  received 
into  the  Associations  on  equal  terms  with  the  white.  It 
sometimes  happened  that  a  Negro  pastor,  by  his  Christian 
character,  his  grasp  of  divine  truth,  and  his  power  as  a 
preacher  would  engage  the  attention  and  secure  favorable 
recognition  of  an  Association.  Such  a  man  was  Caesar 
McLemore,  of  the  Alabama  Association.  The  Association 
was  so  impressed  with  this  man's  usefulness  as  a  preacher 
that  they  purchased  him  from  his  master  for  $625,  that  he 
might  be  free  to  give  his  whole  time  to  religious  work.  The 
laws  of  Alabama  did  not  permit  the  freeing  of  a  slave  in  this 
way,  and  so  we  have  the  interesting  spectacle  of  a  Baptist 
Association  as  a  slaveholder.  A  committee  of  three  mem- 
bers was  appointed  to  direct  Mr.  McLemore' s  efforts  and  he 
,  became  a  missionary  to  the  colored  people  on  the  plantations 
within  the  bounds  of  the  Association.  Similar  cases  are 
reported  from  other  States,  the  Negro  preacher  being  some- 
times purchased  and  sometimes  hired  by  the  Association  and 
set  apart  for  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry. 

The  Negro  ministers  of  the  old  regime  were  really  a  re- 
markable class  of  men.  The  regular  minister  was  usually  a 
man  who  by  force  of  character,  piety,  and  gifts,  commanded 
the  recognition  of  the  white  leaders.  Of  education,  in  the 
ordinary  sense,  he  had  none.  A  deed  made  by  Rev. 
Andrew  Bryan,  conveying  a  certain  lot  of  ground  in  Sa- 
vannah, Ga. ,  to  the  First  African  Church,  bears  the  signature, 
"Andrew  Bryan,"  attested  by  "his  mark."  It  would  be 
erroneous,  however,  to  speak  of  these  men  as  uninstructed. 
Classes  for  the  instruction  of  colored  pastors  were  sometimes 
formed  by  prominent  white  pastors.  Dr.  Sylvanus  Landrum, 
of  Georgia,  was  always  deeply  interested  in  the  spiritual  wel- 
fare of  the  Negroes,  and,  when  pastor  in  Savannah,  held  a 
class  in  his  study  for  the  instruction  of  his  colored  brethren 
in  the  ministry.  This  work  he  continued  from  1859  till  some 
years  after  the  war. 

The  upheaval  of  the  Civil  War  and  the  emancipation  of 
the  slaves  changed  everything  in  the  relations  of  the  whites 
and  blacks  in  the  Southern  States.  It  is  difficult  to  get  at 
accurate  statistics  of  that  time,  but  a  careful  estimate  places 
the  Negro  Baptist  membership  at  the  close  of  the  war  at 
400,000.  There  is  substantial  agreement  in  the  testimony 
of  both  white  and  colored  people  Hving  at  the  time  that  the 


1 66        COLORED    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES 

moral  and  spiritual  condition  of  the  Negro  membership 
was  good. 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  the  colored  ministry  was,  as 
to  general  abihty,  of  a  high  order.  These  men  were  rigid 
disciplinarians.  They  were  fully  impressed  with  the  dignity 
of  the  pastoral  office,  and,  as  a  rule,  watched  over  their 
flocks  with  rare  devotion  and  faithfulness. 

The  survey  here  given  of  the  Negro  Baptists  of  aiite-bcllutn 
days  is  of  importance  in  the  history  of  these  people,  because 
it  reveals  the  training  which  they  received  and  uncovers  some 
of  the  causes  of  that  remarkable  denominational  growth 
which  they  have  shown  since  the  war.  The  Negro  member- 
ship under  the  preaching  of  the  white  pastors  had  received 
valuable  instruction  in  evangelical  truth  and  Baptist  doctrine. 
At  the  same  time  they  were  trained  in  the  form  of  church 
government  and  Baptist  usage.  In  the  colored  branch 
churches  and  in  the  independent  churches  colored  men  re- 
ceived training  as  deacons  and  moderators  of  assembhes. 
Thus  it  came  to  pass  that  when  the  colored  churches  were 
severed  from  the  white  they  were  not  committed  to  men 
unaccustomed  to  church  work  and  usages,  but  to  men  who 
had  been  schooled  under  the  white  pastors  for  the  work  laid 
upon  them.  To  this  day  the  Southern  white  churches  and 
Associations  are  the  models  for  the  colored  bodies,  their 
virtues  and  their  faults  aUke  being  faithfully  copied,  and  no 
people  can  be  found  more  loyal  to  Baptist  poUty  and  usage 
than  the  Negro  Baptists  of  the  Southern  States. 

After  the  war  it  soon  became  apparent  that  a  separation  of 
the  colored  Baptists  from  the  white  was  inevitable.  In  gen- 
eral the  initiative  came  from  the  colored  members  themselves. 
They  felt  that  they  could  not  sustain  the  old  relations  longer. 
The  instinct  of  freedom  and  the  desire  for  independence  was 
strong  within  them.  As  has  been  shown,  the  way  had  been 
prepared  for  separation  by  the  organization  of  many  of  the 
large  churches  into  white  and  colored  branches,  and  by  the 
training  which  the  blacks  had  received.  The  white  Baptists 
came  to  recognize  the  necessity  of  the  change  and  freely  gave 
their  colored  brethren  their  assistance  in  the  organization  of 
their  churches,  in  many  cases  allowing  them  the  use  of  their 
church  buildings,  or  portions  of  them,  until  they  could  secure 
houses  of  their  own. 

Thirty-five  years  is  not  a  long  time  in  the  history  of  a 
people,  and  in  surveying  the  progress  of  the  colored  people 
since  1865  it  is  simple  justice  that  we  do  not  expect  too 
much,  and  that  we  have  constant  regard  to  the  circumstances 


COLORED    BAPTISTS    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES         16/ 

under  which  they  began  their  career.  "  I  beg  you  to  remem- 
ber the  depth  from  which  we  have  come,"  Frederick  Douglass 
used  to  say.  When  we  do  this  the  progress  of  the  Negro 
Baptists  is  a  marvelous  record.  It  has  been  seen  that  they 
numbered  at  emancipation  400,000.  Their  growth  in  num- 
bers since  that  time  has  been  phenomenal,  and  has  gone  be- 
yond the  estimates  of  the  most  hopeful  of  their  friends.  The 
highest  estimates  of  the  colored  population  of  the  present 
tinii  do  not  place  it  higher  than  10.000,000.  The  "Baptist 
Year-Book  "  for  1899  gives  a  Negro  membership  of  1,569,528. 
It  is  estimated  that  the  number  of  colored  Baptists  belonging 
to  white  churches  and  Associations  in  the  North  and  not 
separately  reported  is  300,000,  giving  a  total  membership  of 
colored  Baptists  of  1,869,528.  Thus,  estimating  the  Negro 
population  of  the  United  States  at  10,000,000,  the  population 
shows  an  increase  since  emancipation  of  150  per  cent.,  while 
the  colored  Baptist  membership  shows  an  increase  of  350  per 
cent. 

Not  forgetting  the  commendable  progress  of  the  Negro 
Baptists  during  the  past  thirty-five  years  along  all  hnes  of 
growth,  it  must  be  confessed  that  the  growth  in  other  respects 
has  not  been  in  proportion  to  the  numerical  increase.  The 
ministry  of  to-day  is  divided  into  two  classes.  There  is  what 
may  be  called  the  advanced  wing,  composed  of  men  who  have 
enjoyed  more  or  less  educational  advantages.  They  are  in- 
telligent and  aggressive.  Among  their  number  are  to  be 
found  many  preachers  of  eloquence  and  power.  But  the 
great  mass  of  them  have  had  no'  educational  advantages. 
Among  these,  indeed,  can  be  found  many  men  who,  of  great 
natural  ability,  sound  sense,  and  spotless  character,  are  equally 
competent  and  useful  with  their  more  fortunate  brethren. 
But  of  great  numbers  it  must  be  said  that  they  are  quite  in- 
competent to  be  spiritual  guides  of  their  people.  Circum- 
scribed in  their  own  lives,  and  with  but  imperfect  knowledge 
of  the  Bible,  they  are  quite  incapable  of  leading  their  people 
to  a  high  plane  of  life  and  duty.  Over  against  this  low 
standard  of  so  large  a  portion  of  the  ministry  stands  the  low 
intellectual  condition  of  the  people.  The  standard  of  the 
pulpit  is  low  because  the  masses  of  the  people  have  not  de- 
manded anything  better.  The  great  mass  of  those  who  Avere 
emancipated  in  1865  were  doomed  to  die  in  their  iUiteracy. 
It  was  years  before  they  had  a  pubUc  school  system,  and  to- 
day, after  thirty-five  years  of  freedom,  except  in  favored  local- 
ities, especially  in  cities,  the  advantages  offered  by  the  public 
schools  are  very  meagre.      It  could  not  be  expected  that  a 


1 68        COLORED    BAPTISTS    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES 

people  so  largely  illiterate  could  produce  a  ministry  much 
above  its  own  level. 

Against  this  background  of  a  people  and  a  ministry  bravely 
struggling  with  deep  poverty  and  iUiteracy,  with  all  their 
deadening  effects  upon  manners  and  morals,  let  us  place  the 
achievements  of  thirty-five  years. 

It  has  been  a  time  of  great  activity  in  the  building  of 
churches.  Except  the  very  few  independent  churches  which 
possessed  their  own  houses,  the  colored  Baptists  started  out 
with  no  church  property  whatever.  There  are  reported  now 
in  twelve  Southern  States,  5,000  churcli  buildings,  valued  at 
;^7,864,62i.  This  gives  an  average  value  of  about  $1,500. 
Numbers  of  the  buildings  cost  many  times  that  amount  and, 
while  examples  of  extravagance  are  rare,  there  are  many  of 
these  buildings  which  for  beauty,  taste,  and  comfort,  do  not 
suffer  in  comparison  with  those  of  the  white  Baptists.  In  the 
erection  of  these  buildings  they  received  considerable  aid 
from  their  white  neighbors,  but  by  far  the  largest  part  of  the 
money  thus  expended  came  from  the  colored  people  them- 
selves, and  this  vast  sum  represents  more  than  anything  else 
the  devotion  of  the  colored  Baptists  to  the  church  of  Christ, 
and  is  highly  creditable  to  both  ministers  and  people. 

The  period  now  under  review  has  been  one  of  denomina- 
tional organization.  The  colored  Baptists  early  learned  the 
value  of  Associational  and  State  organization.  As  early  as 
1867  at  least  two  States  had  organized  Conventions,  and  by 
1880  Conventions  existed  in  every  Southern  State.  In  some 
cases  the  organization  of  the  Convention  antedated  that  of 
the  Associations,  as  in  Alabama,  while  in  other  cases  it  grew 
out  of  the  Associations,  as  in  Georgia  and  other  States.  The 
work  of  these  organizations  has  been  mainly  along  two  lines, 
educational  and  missionary.  The  educational  work  is  reserved 
for  a  separate  paragraph.  The  missionary  work  consisted  in 
the  appointment  of  missionaries  to  travel  within  the  bounds 
of  the  Convention,  preaching  in  destitute  places,  and  render- 
ing help  in  the  organization  of  churches  and  Sunday-schools. 
In  this  work  the  colored  brethren  have  had  from  time  to  time 
in  the  various  States  the  aid  of  the  white  Baptist  Conventions. 
Sums  of  money  were  appropriated  for  this  purpose  w^hile  the 
work  of  supervision  was  left  to  the  colored  Conventions. 
Much  good  has  been  done  by  the  missionaries  thus  sent  forth 
in  the  organization  of  churches  and  Sunday-schools,  and  in 
supplementing  the  labors  of  the  pastors  in  evangelical  work 
and  the  Christian  teaching  of  the  people.  In  addition  to  the 
general  State  Conventions,  Sunday-school  Conventions  have 


COLORED    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES        1 69 

been  organized  in  most  of  the  States.  The  sessions  of  these 
Conventions,  being  more  definite  in  aim,  or  their  purpose 
being  more  generally  understood,  are  often  more  profitable 
than  those  of  the  General  Conventions.  There  is  great  activity 
in  Sunday-school  work  among  the  colored  Baptists  and  this 
work  is  of  great  value  to  them  in  tlie  present  condition  of  the 
people  in  the  opportunity  it  affords  for  the  moral  and  religious 
training  of  the  young. 

In  addition  to  the  local  organization  above  described  there 
is  now  a  National  Baptist  Convention  which  is  intended  to 
gather  into  one  body  the  colored  Baptists  not  only  of  the 
Southern  States,  but  of  the  North  as  well.  This  Convention 
was  organized  in  1886.  and  in  1895  it  absorbed  another  or- 
ganization, national  in  character,  the  Foreign  Missionary 
Convention,  which  had  been  in  existence  since  1880.  The 
chief  work  of  the  National  Convention  is  along  two  Hnes  : 
the  publication  of  Sunday-school  literature  and  the  carrying 
on  of  missionary  work  in  Africa.  In  1895  its  publishing 
Board,  aided  and  encouraged  by  the  Sunday-school  Board  of 
the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  began  the  publication  of 
Sunday-school  literature.  Since  that  time  it  has  established 
a  pubHshing  house  in  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  has  continued 
the  publication  of  its  own  Sunday-school  helps.  The  Foreign 
Mission  Board  has  within  a  few  years  accomplished  much  in 
raising  money  for  the  prosecution  of  work  in  Africa.  It  has 
established  stations  in  South  Africa  and  is  beginning  that 
which  may  develop  into  great  usefulness  and  power. 

From  early  times  the  Negro  Baptists  have  manifested  con- 
siderable interest  in  the  spiritual  condition  of  their  country- 
men in  heathen  Africa.  They  too  have  their  "Father  of 
Missions,"  and  his  name  is  Carey.  Lott  Carey  was  a  slave, 
a  tobacco  packer  in  a  warehouse  in  Richmond,  Virginia.  By 
prudence  and  economy  he  saved  money  enough  to  buy  his 
freedom.  By  equally  earnest  efforts  he  picked  up  some  edu- 
cation. Hearing  an  address  upon  the  condition  of  Africa, 
he  was  fired  with  a  purpose  to  go  to  that  country  to  preach 
the  gospel  to  its  people.  He  presented  himself  to  the 
"Triennial  Convention"  and  with  another  Negro,  Rev. 
Colin  Teague,  received  appointment,  and  in  1820  set  sail  for 
Liberia.  Not  only  in  missionary,  but  in  civil  matters  as  well, 
he  played  an  important  part  in  the  early  history  of  that  coun- 
try. His  name  is  perpetuated  by  a  Convention  recently 
formed  in  the  South,  the  "Lott  Carey  Missionary  Conven- 
tion," whose  purpose  is  to  conduct  missionary  operations  in 
co-operation  with  the  white  Baptists  of  the  North. 


I/O        COLORED    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES 

The  colored  Baptists  early  began  to  concern  themselves 
about  the  education  of  their  people.  Thus,  at  its  second  ses- 
sion meeting  in  Atlanta,  Georgia,  in  187 1,  the  Georgia  State 
Convention  expressed  its  approval  of  the  attempt  to  found  a 
"theological  institute  for  the  purpose  of  educating  young 
men  who  have  the  ministry  in  view."  Seven  years  later  land 
for  a  school  site  was  purchased  in  Atlanta  for  $600.  The  re- 
moval of  Augusta  Institute  to  Atlanta  in  1879,  and  the  reopen- 
ing of  it  there  under  the  name  Atlanta  Baptist  Seminary  by 
the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  rendered  further 
effort  unnecessary,  and  the  project  of  the  colored  Baptists 
of  the  State  was  merged  in  the  work  of  the  Home  Mission 
Society.  The  Alabama  State  Convention  in  1873  passed  the 
following:  ^^  Resolved,  That  we  plant  in  the  State  of  Ala- 
bama a  Theological  School  to  educate  our  young  men." 
Out  of  this  beginning  has  grown  the  Alabama  Colored  Bap- 
tist University,  located  at  Selma,  Alabama,  founded  in  1878, 
an  institution  for  higher  education.  This  institution  now 
employs  twelve  instructors,  has  279  pupils,  and  owns  property 
which  is  valued  at  ^30,000.  Similar  movements  resulted  in 
the  founding  in  1873  of  the  State  University  at  Louisville, 
Kentucky,  by  the  colored  Baptists  of  the  State,  a  school  which 
has  twelve  teachers,  169  pupils,  and  property  valued  at  $30,- 
000  ;  and,  in  1887,  of  Arkansas  Baptist  College  at  Little  Rock, 
Arkansas,  now  owning  property  valued  at  $30,000,  with  193 
pupils  and  five  instructors.  These  schools  are  of  similar  grade 
with  that  at  Selma,  and  all  have  received  generous  aid  from 
the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  Besides  these 
schools  of  higher  grade  fostered  by  State  Conventions,  there 
have  been  established  in  all  the  States  by  Associations  and 
groups  of  Associations  secondary  schools,  many  of  which 
have  done  and  are  doing  excellent  work.  Some  thirteen  of 
these  schools  are  now  aided  by  the  Home  Mission  Society, 
but  these  represent  but  a  few  of  such  schools  started  under 
the  auspices  of  colored  Baptists.  In  addition  to  providing 
for  the  education  of  ministers,  the  object  of  these  schools 
is  to  supplement  the  work  of  the  public  schools  for  the  col- 
ored people.  Shortly  after  the  war  public  school  systems  were 
introduced  in  all  the  Southern  States,  in  which  the  Negro 
population  shared  as  well  as  the  white.  All  praise  is  due  to 
the  white  population  of  the  South  for  the  large  sums  of  public 
money  that  have  been  expended  since  the  war  upon  the 
education  of  colored  children.  But  while  that  is  fully  recog- 
nized, progressive  Southern  educators  are  free  to  admit  that 
the  provision  made  for  both  races  was  greatly  inadequate. 


COLORED    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES        I/I 

The  instruction  given  to  the  colored  children  was  primary  in 
its  character,  almost  never  rising  above  the  grammar  grades. 
Naturally,  also,  the  colored  people  received  the  smaller  share 
of  appropriations  for  public  education.  While  there  has  been 
considerable  improvement,  the  conditions  are  substantially 
the  same  at  the  present  time,  except  in  the  cities  and  larger 
towns,  where  better  provision  is  made.  In  some  States  a  small 
provision  is  made  for  high  school  training,  but  the  system  does 
not  contemplate  any  other  than  elementary  education  for 
colored  children.  In  the  secondary  schools  established  by 
the  colored  people  themselves,  a  praisworthy  effort  has  been 
made  to  supplement  the  meagre  training  afforded  by  the 
State  and  to  provide  high  school  training  for  their  children. 
It  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  amount  of  money  raised  for 
education  by  the  Negro  Baptists.  It  is  certain  that  it  is  no 
inconsiderable  sum.  Some  idea  may  be  gained  from  the  fact 
that  in  connection  with  the  schools,  aided  and  supported  by 
the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  the  receipts 
from  colored  people  in  the  school  year  1 898-1 899  amounted 
to  $121,797.01.  It  is  true  that  by  far  the  larger  part  of  this 
amount  represents  money  paid  by  the  students  for  board  and 
tuition,  and  therefore  cannot  be  regarded  as  voluntary  con- 
tributions ;  but  the  entire  amount  represents  the  money  paid 
by  colored  Baptists  in  one  year  for  the  higher  education  of 
their  sons  and  daughters  in  connection  with  the  schools  of 
the  Home  Mission  Society  alone. 

No    sketch    of  the    colored  Baptists  would   be    complete 
without    reference    to    the    work    of   the    American    Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society.      Beginning  its  work  before  the  close 
of  the  war,  it  has  entered  every  Southern  State,  and,  either 
by  estabhshing   schools  or   by  aiding    those  estabhshed  by 
the  colored  Baptists,  it  has  built  up  an  educational  system 
which   has   opened    the    way  from    the    humblest   cabin    in 
the  land   to   the    highest   educational  advantages,    and    has 
placed  within  the  reach  of  the   Negro  boy  or  girl  educa- 
tional opportunities  equal    to    those   enjoyed    by  the    more 
fortunate  youth  of  the  Southern  whites.      Moreover,  it  has 
surrounded  this  pathway  of  education  with  moral  and  re- 
ligious  influences   and    safeguards    that    almost    insure    the 
development  of  high  Christian  character  in  the  student  who 
treads  it.      No  one  who  knows  the  colored  Baptists  of  the 
South  can  fail  to  recognize  the  potent  influence  of  this  so- 
ciety in  the  uphft  of  the  people.      It  has  given  to  the  colored 
Baptists  the  most  intelligent,  aggressive,  and  efi'ective  portion 
of  its  ministry.      Almost  every  pulpit  of  any  prominence  and 


1/2        COLORED    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES 

almost  every  position  of  influence  in  Associations  and  Con- 
ventions is  filled  by  a  graduate  of  its  schools.  It  has  given 
to  the  South  a  great  host  of  educated,  Christian  school 
teachers,  and,  through  these,  men  and  women  who  have 
become  preachers  and  teachers  ;  through  their  Christian 
homes  it  has  reached  hundreds  of  thousands  of  the  colored 
people  with  beneficent  moral  and  spiritual  influences. 

It  belongs  to  this  chapter  to  notice  the  fact  that  in  this 
work  the  Home  Mission  Society  has  had  and  still  has  the 
cordial  and  grateful  co-operation  of  the  colored  Baptists. 
From  the  earliest  days  the  Society  has  called  to  its  aid  as 
teachers  educated  men  and  women  of  the  colored  race.  It 
has  sought  out  and  encouraged  the  more  promising  among 
the  students  in  the  schools  to  fit  themselves  for  service  as 
teachers,  and  has  rewarded  merit  and  ability  by  appointment 
on  the  teaching  staff  of  the  schools.  As  the  standard  of 
instruction  in  the  institutions  has  risen,  the  graduates  of  these 
missionary  colleges  have  been  encouraged  to  supplement 
their  college  course  by  post-graduate  work  in  the  Northern 
universities  and  normal  schools,  and  thus  there  is  growing  up 
within  the  schools  a  body  of  scholarly  men  and  women  who 
are  fully  equipped  for  their  work  and  who  are  abreast  of  the 
times  in  methods  of  instruction.  In  the  schools  of  the  so- 
ciety, as  shown  by  the  last  annual  report,  of  251  teachers 
employed  in  the  school  year  1898-1899,  124  were  colored, 
and  of  ninety-eight  male  teachers  sixty-five  were  colored,  and 
among  these  are  some  of  the  most  efficient  and  valued  of  the 
society's  helpers.  It  may  therefore  be  claimed  that  to  a  large 
extent  the  actual  work  of  these  institutions  is  a  work  of  colored 
men  and  women  for  their  own  people. 

The  white  Baptists  of  the  South  have  not  been  unmindful 
of  their  duty  to  their  colored  brethren.  It  has  already  been 
shown  how  important  a  work  was  done  by  them  prior  to 
emancipation  in  the  training  given  to  the  colored  members 
in  the  churches.  The  aid  given  to  the  State  Conventions  in 
missionary  work  has  also  been  recognized.  In  addition  to 
this  an  important  work  has  been  done  under  their  auspices 
in  holding  ministers'  and  deacons'  institutes  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  those  pastors  and  other  brethren  who  could  not 
attend  the  schools.  Some  of  their  best  men  have  from  time 
to  time  engaged  in  this  work,  which  has  been  gratefully 
received  by  the  colored  brethren  and  has  been  productive 
of  beneficent  results.  In  this  educational  work  the  Negro 
State  Conventions  are  given  an  equal  share  of  responsibility 
and  control  with  the  white  brethren.      Work  has  begun  in  a 


COLORED    BAPTISTS    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES         1 73 

tentative  way  in  several  States,  and,  while  gracious  results 
have  been  achieved,  the  necessity  has  appeared  for  readjust- 
ment. It  is  confidently  believed  that  in  this  honorable 
partnership  of  the  colored  Baptists  with  their  white  brethren 
North  and  South  lies  promise  of  great  achievement  in  the 
new  century. 

George  Sale. 


XIV 

FOREIGN  MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 


PART  I 
RISE  AND  PROGRESS  TO  1845 

For  a  proper  apprehension  of  the  foreign  mission  work  of 
the  Baptist  denomination  during  the  nineteenth  century  it  is 
desirable  that  brief  note  should  be  made  of  the  work  begun 
in  England  during  the  closing  years  of  the  preceding  cen- 
tury. There  are  interesting  links  connecting  the  American 
work  begun  in  181 2  with  that  which  had  its  inception  in 
England  twenty  years  earlier. 

The  inauguration  of  the  foreign  mission  work  of  Britain,  at 
least,  is  associated  with  the  name  of  William  Carey.  It  is 
impossible  to  trace  all  the  spiritual  impressions  and  influences 
culminating  in  the  movement  of  which  he  was  the  conspicuous 
leader.  Other  minds  and  hearts  than  his  were  at  the  same 
time  awakening  to  a  sense  of  the  obhgation  to  give  the  gospel 
to  the  heathen  world.  Doctor  Thomas,  who  in  his  capacity 
as  a  ship  surgeon  had  visited  India,  became  in  1785  strongly 
impressed  by  the  missionary  obhgation.  Returning  in  his 
ship  to  India  the  following  year  it  was  not  difficult  for  the 
httle  band  of  Christians  in  Calcutta  to  persuade  him  to  remain 
there  and  preach  the  gospel  to  the  heathen.  He  remained 
in  India  till  1792.  In  1784  Mr.  Sutcliff  had  drawn  up,  and 
the  Nottinghamshire  Baptist  Association  had  adopted,  a  reso- 
lution setting  apart  an  hour  on  the  first  Monday  evening  of 
each  month  ' '  for  extraordinary  prayer  for  the  revival  of  re- 
ligion and  for  the  extending  of  Christ's  kingdom  in  the 
world."  The  seraphic  Pearce,  of  Birmingham,  also  had  been 
led  "to  preach  much  upon  the  promises  of  God  concerning 
the  conversion  of  the  heathen  nations." 

Though  God  was  planting  the  mission  thought  and  the 
mission  impulse  in  other  souls  as  well,  William  Carey  was 
manifestly  the  man  of  God's  choice  to  lead  the  great  enter- 
prise. To  his  mind  the  duty  of  giving  the  gospel  to  the 
174 


RISE    AND    PROGRESS    TO    1 845  1/5 

heathen  was  as  imperative  as  tliat  of  paying  one's  lawful  busi- 
ness debts.  This  sense  of  obligation,  linking  itself  with  a 
passion  for  souls,  made  him  irresistible.  He  believed  pro- 
foundly, and  he  believed  rightly,  that  for  the  salvation  of 
England  the  gospel  must  be  sent  to  the  heathen.  At  the 
spring  meeting  of  the  Association,  in  1791,  after  sermons  by 
Sutdiff  and  Fuller  that  powerfuly  impressed  the  assembly  with 
the  need  of  greater  zeal,  Carey  introduced  the  question  of  the 
practicability  and  the  bounden  duty  of  making  some  attempt 
to  spread  the  gospel  in  the  heathen  world,  urging  that  they 
should  commit  themselves  to  the  work  that  very  day.  The 
utmost  they  could  be  led  to  do  was  to  proffer  a  request  that  he 
should  publish  a  manuscript  he  had  prepared,  entitled,  "An 
Inquiry  into  the  ObHgations  of  Christians  to  use  Means  for  the 
Conversion  of  the  Heathen."  This  paper  was  published  the 
following  year,  and  in  1892,  in  connection  with  the  celebration 
of  the  centenary  of  the  society,  it  was  reprinted  \\\fac- simile. 
Considering  the  time  and  conditions  of  its  preparation  it  is  a 
most  remarkable  document.  In  the  year  1792,  in  the  month 
of  May,  it  devolved  on  Carey  to  preach  the  annual  sermon 
of  the  Association.  This  was  the  memorable  sermon,  having 
for  its  text  Isa.  54  :  2,  3,  and  for  its  topic,  "  Expect  great 
things  from  God;  attempt  great  things  for  God."  In  the 
words  of  one  of  his  biographers,  "  It  was  as  if  the  sluices  of 
his  soul  were  thrown  fully  open,  and  the  flood  that  had  been 
accumulating  for  years  rushed  forth  in  full  force  and  irresist- 
ible power."  As  they  were  about  to  disperse  without  taking 
any  action  he  seized  the  hand  of  Fuller,  and,  wringing  it  in 
an  agony  of  distress,  pleaded  that  they  should  not  again  sep- 
arate without  doing  something.  The  moving  people  were 
stayed,  and  it  was  there  and  then  resolved  "that  a  plan  be 
prepared  against  the  next  ministers'  meeting  at  Kettering  for 
the  estabHshment  of  a  society  for  the  propagation  of  the 
gospel  among  the  heathen." 

This  meeting  was  held  on  the  second  of  October,  1792. 
For  some  reason,  even  now,  the  action  was  not  taken  in  the 
public  gathering.  When  the  public  services  were  over,  in 
the  evening  of  the  day,  twelve  men  met  in  the  back  parlor  of 
Mrs.  Beeby  Wallis.  In  this  obscure  retreat,  by  men  at  that 
time  almost  unknown  beyond  their  own  little  parishes,  was 
organized  the  first  British  society  for  the  evangelization  of  the 
heathen.  The  society  was  organized  with  a  committee  of 
five  members  :  Andrew  Fuller  (secretary),  John  Ryland,  John 
Sutcliff,  Reynold  Hogg  (treasurer),  and  William  Carey.  A 
subscription  was  made  then  and  there  amounting  to  ^^13  2s. 


176     FOREIGN  MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

6d.,  and  Carey  declared  his  readiness  to  go  to  any  part  of  the 
world  the  society  might  decide. 

Doctor  Thomas,  who  had  arrived  in  England  in  July, 
having  heard  of  the  missionary  movement  in  Northampton- 
shire, wrote  to  Mr.  Carey,  giving  some  account  of  the  work 
in  which  he  had  been  engaged  in  Bengal.  On  January  9, 
1793,  during  the  progress  of  a  meeting  of  the  committee, 
Doctor  Thomas  unexpectedly  presented  himself  It  was 
decided  at  that  meeting  that  a  mission  should  be  begun  in 
India  with  Carey  and  Thomas  as  the  first  two  missionaries. 
After  overcoming  many  difficulties  and  being  denied  passage 
in  a  British  ship,  they  sailed  in  a  Danish  vessel  on  June  13, 
1793,  for  India,  and  arrived  in  Calcutta  on  November  11. 

Difficulties  had  to  be  encountered  and  overcome  in  India 
as  well  as  in  England  ere  the  mission  was  established.  Dur- 
ing the  first  three  years  only  ^^200  was  sent  from  England 
for  the  support  of  the  missionaries.  As  a  consequence  they 
were  compelled  to  engage  in  secular  pursuits  to  maintain 
themselves  and  the  work.  The  East  India  Company  placed 
every  possible  obstacle  in  their  way.  In  1800,  retiring  from 
the  company's  territories,  the  mission  was  established  at 
Serampore,  under  the  cordial  protection  of  the  Danish  flag. 
Thus  Serampore  became  the  center  of  the  wonderful  work  in 
evangelization,  Christian  education,  and  Bible  translation 
accomplished  by  Carey  and  his  associates. 

On  November  i,  1795,  Carey,  Thomas,  Powell,  and  Long 
organized  themselves  into  the  first  Baptist  church  in  India. 
The  first  Hindu  convert,  Krishna  Pal,  was  baptized  on  De- 
cember 28,  1800.  During  his  residence  at  Mudnabatty, 
before  settUng  at  Serampore,  Carey  established  the  first 
school  for  native  children  "ever  set  up  by  a  European  in 
Hindustan."  The  first  Sunday-school  in  India  was  begun 
in  1803  in  connection  with  this  mission.  The  first  Bible 
society,  anticipating  by  a  few  months  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society,  was  organized  at  Serampore  in  1804,  with  a 
plan  formed  to  print  at  least  the  New  Testament  in  seven  of 
the  languages  of  India  with  their  own  printing  press.  The 
first  Christian  college  in  India  they  had  begun  to  plan  for  at 
Serampore  in  1818,  and  the  building  was  begun  in  1822. 
The  work  of  Carey  and  his  associates  in  Bible  translation  and 
publication  is  phenomenal.  "In  forty-four  languages  or 
dialects  of  the  East,  spoken  by  at  least  500,000,000,  in- 
cluding the  Chinese  version  by  Doctor  Marshman,  the  whole 
or  a  part  of  the  Bible  had  been  translated  by  these  eminent 
servants  of  Christ,  and  nearly  half  a  million  copies  had  been 


RISE    AND    PROGRESS    TO     1 845  1 77 

printed."  Marshman's  translation  of  the  Bible  into  Chinese 
preceded  that  of  Morrison,  the  first  Chinese  missionary,  by 
a  year  or  two.  Limits  of  space  nnpose  the  necessity  of  con- 
fining ourselves  to  these  brief  and  scattered  allusions  to  the 
inspiring  work  having  its  center  at  Serampore  in  the  early 
years  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

In  the  overruling  providence  of  God  the  wrath  of  the  East 
India  Company  became  in  its  issues  a  factor  in  the  creation 
of  the  foreign  mission  spirit  in  America.  The  company 
made  it  impossible  for  the  missionaries  of  the  English  Baptist 
Society  to  sail  to  India  in  British  ships.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances it  was  found  advantageous  for  some  of  them  to 
come  to  America  and  sail  in  American  ships  to  their  destina- 
tion. These  young  English  missionaries  found  a  most  cordial 
welcome  in  American  Baptist  homes  and  in  American  Baptist 
pulpits.  Their  presence  and  their  messages  kindled  a  deep 
interest  in  the  work  to  which  they  had  with  manifest  heroic 
devotion  committed  themselves.  The  genuineness  of  this 
interest  was  evident  in  the  very  substantial  contributions 
offered  for  the  work.  Carey  and  others  in  India  were  thus 
brought  naturally  into  correspondence  with  leading  Baptists  in 
America.  Some  of  these  letters  found  their  way  into  the 
"Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine,"  which  had 
been  estabUshed  in  1803,  helping  thus  to  widen  the  awaken- 
ing interest.  Doctor  Staughton's  removal  to  America  was 
another  link  of  connection.  Just  after  his  graduation  from 
college  he  was  present  at  the  meeting  at  which  the  English 
society  had  its  birth.  He  caught  the  mission  fire  and 
brought  it  with  him  to  America.  His  conspicuous  ability 
gave  him  wide  influence  in  fostering  the  spirit  of  missions. 
Probably  the  first  considerable  amounts  of  money  contributed 
in  America  for  foreign  missions  were  given  by  the  Baptists 
for  the  Enghsh  mission  at  Serampore.  In  1806  and  1807 
these  gifts  aggregated  between  ;^5,ooo  and  $6,000.  Doctor 
Johns,  an  English  missionary,  who  sailed  on  the  same  vessel 
with  Luther  Rice,  carried  with  him  $5,000  collected  from 
the  Baptists  of  Boston  and  Salem.  Nor  were  their  gifts  con- 
fined to  the  Baptist  missionaries.  Mr.  Rice  stated  after  his 
return  from  India  that  "a  handsome  portion  "  of  the  money 
he  had  collected  for  his  outfit  and  passage  came  from  the 
liberality  of  the  Baptists. 

But  as  in  England,  so  in  America,  there  is  one  name  in- 
separably hnked  with  the  inauguration  of  the  great  foreign 
mission  movement  of  the  century.      It  is  the  immortal  name, 
Adoniram  Judson,      The  origin  of  the  foreign  mission  enter- 
al 


178     FOREIGN  MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

prise  in  America  cannot  be  intelligently  considered  to  the  ex- 
clusion of  this  name.  He  was  indeed  "Jesus  Christ's  man," 
chosen  and  qualified  for  leadership  in  the  most  far-reaching 
and  beneficent  enterprise  of  the  century.  The  story  of  his 
spiritual  arrest  as  a  young  man,  his  conversion,  and  his  con- 
secration to  the  cause  of  foreign  missions  has  been  so  often 
told  that  it  need  not  be  repeated  here. 

In  April,  18 10,  Judson  wrote  to  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety to  ascertain  if  there  was  any  opportunity  for  him  and 
his  companions  being  sent  to  the  foreign  field  by  that  organi- 
zation and  later  he  was  sent  to  present  his  case  in  person  and 
ask  for  aid.  The  English  Board  expressed  a  readiness  to  send 
and  support  the  young  men  as  their  own  missionaries,  but 
felt  that  joint  direction  of  the  work  was  impracticable.  Under 
these  circumstances  the  American  Board,  on  the  eighteenth 
of  September,  181 1,  appointed  Judson,  Nott,  Newell,  and 
Hall  to  open  a  mission  in  some  Asiatic  field.  On  the  nine- 
teenth of  February,  181 2,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  and  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Newell  sailed  from  Salem  bound  for  Calcutta.  On 
the  previous  day  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nott,  Mr.  Hall,  and  Mr.  Rice 
sailed  from  Philadelphia  for  the  same  destination.  The  con- 
version of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  and  Luther  Rice  to  Baptist 
views  and  their  struggles  to  secure  foothold  in  India  are  too 
well  known  to  demand  retelling. 

The  news  of  the  baptism  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  and  Mr. 
Rice  reached  America  in  February,  1813.  Doctor  Baldwin, 
to  whom  Mr.  Judson  had  written,  called  a  meeting  of  leading 
Baptist  ministers  of  Massachusetts  to  discuss  the  interesting 
problem  thus  thrust  upon  the  attention  of  American  Baptists. 
At  this  meeting  was  formed  the  "  Baptist  Society  for  Propagat- 
ing the  Gospel  in  India  and  other  Foreign  Parts,"  and  at  once 
they  wrote  Judson  assuring  him  that  the  Baptists  of  America 
would  assume  his  support  as  their  missionary  in  India.  Sim- 
ilar societies  were  formed  in  Philadelphia,  New  York,  and 
other  centers.  Mr.  Rice  arrived  in  America  in  September. 
As  he  traveled  about  in  the  interest  of  the  work,  his  graphic 
description  of  what  he  had  seen,  and  his  fervid  appeals  created 
great  enthusiasm  wherever  he  went.  The  necessity  of  the 
concerted  action  of  all  these  small  societies  was  soon  recog- 
nized, and  to  secure  this  a  Convention  was  called  in  Phila- 
delphia on  tlie  eighteenth  of  May,  1814.  There  were  thirty- 
three  delegates  in  attendance  at  the  meeting  in  the  old  First 
Baptist  Church,  some  of  whom  had  traveled  300  miles  in  their 
own  carriages  to  be  present.  Eleven  States  and  the  District 
of  Columbia  were  represented.    At  this  meeting  was  organized 


RISE    AND    PROGRESS    TO     1 845  1 79 

the  "  General  Convention  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in  tlie 
United  States  of  America  for  Foreign  Missions."  The  sum  of 
$4,000  was  placed  in  the  treasury  by  the  local  societies,  and 
it  was  estimated  that  they  might  count  on  an  annual  income 
of  $5,280.  This  national  society  was  to  meet  once  in  three 
years,  and  so  came  to  be  known  as  the  Triennial  Convention. 

To  the  Judsons  belongs  the  honor  of  establishing  the  first 
evangehcal  mission  in  modern  times  amid  absolutely  heathen 
surroundings,  and  under  a  purely  heathen  government.  The 
ruler  of  Burma  was  a  despot  whose  tender  mercies  were 
cruelties.  It  was  a  capital  crime  for  a  native  of  the  country 
to  forsake  his  ancestral  religion.  Still  Burma  had  for  the 
Judsons  greater  attractions  than  America.  Nearly  six  years 
passed  before  they  had  the  joy  of  seeing  their  first  convert. 
On  the  twenty-seventh  of  June,  1819,  Moung  Nau  was  bap- 
tized, and  he  was  followed  by  two  others  on  the  seventh  of 
November.  The  Houghs  had  joined  the  mission  in  1816, 
and  they  were  followed  by  the  Wheelocks  and  Colemans  in 
181 8.  On  the  twenty-second  of  December,  Judson  and 
Coleman  set  out  in  a  river-boat  on  a  500  mile  journey  to  the 
capital  to  endeavor  to  secure  toleration  for  the  Christian  con- 
verts, but  their  effort  proved  fruitless.  They  had  the  joy, 
however,  of  seeing  their  converts  stand  firm  notwithstanding 
the  king's  attitude.  Early  in  1S24  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson 
reached  Ava  to  join  Dr.  Price,  who  with  the  Wades  had  now 
been  added  to  the  mission  staff.  This  year  was  marked  by 
the  outbreak  of  the  first  Burmese  war,  with  its  scenes  of  awful 
terror  and  suffering,  and  the  triumphant  heroism  with  which 
these  noble  missionaries  met  them.  At  the  close  of  the  war, 
in  negotiating  the  treaty  of  peace,  Judson  was  employed  as 
interpreter  by  the  government.  For  this  service  he  received 
several  thousand  dollars,  which  he  at  once  turned  over  to  the 
mission  treasury.  During  his  absence  on  this  government 
mission,  his  heroic  and  devoted  wife  died  at  Amherst.  The 
circumstances  in  which  he  found  himself  on  his  return  to 
Amherst  were  sad  beyond  expression,  but  the  Lord  sustained 
him.  In  the  following  year,  1827,  with  the  Wades  he  re- 
moved to  Moulmein  to  join  the  Boardmans.  Here,  in  1828, 
he  completed  the  revision  of  his  Burman  New  Testament,  and 
finished  the  translation  of  the  whole  Bible  into  that  language 
in  1834.  In  that  year  the  number  of  baptized  converts  in 
Burma  was  592. 

In  1828  the  Boardmans  removed  from  Moulmein  to  Tavoy, 
which  became  the  third  missionary  center  established  in 
Burma.      Here  began  the  wonderfully  interesting  and  success- 


I80     FOREIGN  MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

ful  work  among,  the  Karens.  Ko-Thahbyu,  the  first  Karen 
convert,  who  became  a  flaming  gospel  messenger  to  his  peo- 
ple, had  been  converted  before  leaving  Moulmein,  but  was 
not  baptized  until  after  going  to  Tavoy  with  Mr.  Boardman. 
These  mountain  tribes  of  Burma  cherished  traditions  and  ex- 
pectations that  prepared  them  in  a  remarkable  way  for  the 
reception  of  the  gospel,  and  the  success  of  the  mission  among 
them  was  in  that  day  phenomenal.  Dr.  Wade  reduced  the 
Karen  language  to  writing,  and  in  1843  the  New  Testament, 
translated  into  the  Karen  language  by  Dr.  Mason,  was  issued 
from  the  Tavoy  press. 

In  1835  the  Board  instructed  the  Comstocks  to  open  a 
mission  in  Arakan.  In  1837  they  were  joined  by  the  Halls, 
both  of  whom  died  within  a  few  months  of  their  arrival,  in 
1840  by  the  Kincaids  and  the  Abbotts,  and  in  1842  by  the 
Stillsons.  Considerable  success  attended  the  work  in  this 
field,  but  the  hand  of  death  seemed  to  rest  heavily  upon  the 
Arakan  missionaries,  and  from  1852  till  1888  there  was  no 
resident  missionary  in  this  territory. 

The  second  mission  estabhshed  by  the  American  Baptists 
was  in  Siam.  An  exploring  missionary  of  another  society  had 
called  the  attention  of  the  Burman  missionaries  to  this  coun- 
try, and  at  once  they  sent  Mr.  Jones  to  open  the  mission. 
He  arrived  at  Bangkok  in  1833,  the  population  of  which 
was  chiefly  Siamese,  Burmese,  and  Chinese.  Mr.  Jones  de- 
voted himself  especiahy  to  the  Siamese,  but  it  was  not  till 
the  end  of  fifteen  years  that  he  had  the  joy  of  seeing  the  first 
Siamese  convert.  Five  years  earher  he  had  completed  the 
translation  of  the  New  Testament  into  Siamese.  Besides 
other  hterary  work  he  prepared  a  Siamese  dictionary  and  be- 
gan work  on  the  Old  Testament.  The  work  among  the 
Siamese  was  suspended  in  1845,  owing  to  the  ill-health  of 
Mr.  Jones.  The  fruits  of  the  work  among  the  Chinese  of 
Bangkok  appeared  much  earlier.  On  the  eighth  of  Decem- 
ber, 1833,  three  Chinese  men  were  baptized.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Dean  arrived  in  1834,  commissioned  especially  to  labor  among 
the  Chinese.  Mr.  Dean  was  the  first  foreigner  to  study  the 
Tie  Chiu  dialect,  that  used  in  the  Southern  Chinese  mission. 
Mr.  Shuck  and  Mr.  Reed  joined  the  mission  in  1836,  the 
latter  dying  within  a  brief  period,  and  the  former  being  trans- 
ferred to  Macao  in  the  following  year. 

Bangkok  and  Macao  (a  httle  colony  of  Portugal  about  sixty 
or  seventy  miles  southeast  of  Canton),  were  made  the  points 
of  approach  to  the  great  Chinese  Empire.  Mr.  Shuck  had 
come  to  Macao  in  1836,  and  in  the  following  year  baptized 


RISE    AND    PROGRESS    TO     1 845  181 

his  first  Chinese  convert.  In  1842,  as  a  result  of  the 
"opium  war,"  a  treaty  was  signed  ceding  Hongkong  to 
Great  Britain,  and  declaring  the  five  ports,  Canton,  Amoy, 
Fuchau,  Ningpo,  and  Shanghai  opened  to  British  commerce 
and  the  residence  of  Brilisli  officers  and  merchants.  In  that 
year  the  mission  was  transferred  from  Macao  to  Hongkong. 
Land  was  granted  to  the  mission  by  the  government,  upon 
which  a  mission-house  and  two  commodious  chapels  for 
pubhc  worship  and  school  purposes  were  built,  largely  by 
the  contributions  of  English  gentlemen  residing  at  Hong- 
kong and  Macao.  The  first  church  was  organized  in  Hong- 
kong that  same  year  with  five  members  besides  the  mission- 
aries. 

Assam  is  the  northeastern  province  of  British  India.  The 
missionaries  had  been  for  some  time  looking  toward  Assam, 
with  the  hope  that  the  establishment  of  mission  posts  in  the 
north  of  the  province  might  eventually  issue  in  entrance  into 
China  by  way  of  the  inland  trade  routes.  The  first  mis- 
sionaries were  Mr.  Nathan  Brown  (afterward  missionary  to 
Japan)  and  Mr.  Cutter.  They  reached  Sadiya  in  1836  and 
were  joined  by  Mr.  Bronson  in  1837.  In  1841  an  Assamese 
convert  was  baptized,  the  first-fruits  of  the  large  blessing  that 
has  come  to  this  mission  in  later  years. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Triennial  Convention  in  Richmond, 
in  1835,  the  Board  was  authorized  to  "establish  new  mis- 
sions in  every  unoccupied  field  where  there  was  a  reasonable 
prospect  of  success."  Coincident  with  this  the  attention  of 
the  Board  was  directed  to  the  Telugus  of  India  by  Mr.  Sutton, 
an  English  Baptist  missionary  in  Orissa.  The  Telugu  lan- 
guage is  the  third  most  widely  spoken  in  India.  It  was 
promptly  decided  that  a  mission  should  be  opened  among 
them.  To  Mr.  Day,  a  native  of  the  province  of  Ontario, 
belongs  the  honor  of  founding  this  mission.  He  reached 
Vizagapatam  in  1836,  and  shortly  afterward  removed  to  Chi- 
cacole  (now  one  of  the  stations  of  the  Canadian  mission). 
In  the  following  year  he  fixed  on  Madras  as  the  seat  of  the 
mission,  where  he  wrought  earnestly  for  three  years.  Having 
reached  the  conviction  that  he  ought  to  move  into  the  heart 
of  the  Telugu  country,  Mr.  Day  proceeded,  in  1840,  to  Nel- 
lore  with  his  family,  where  he  was  joined  shortly  afterward 
by  the  Van  Husens.  Here  on  the  twenty-seventh  of  Sep- 
tember he  baptized  the  first  Telugu  convert.  Three  more 
converts  were  baptized  in  1843,  and  on  the  twelfth  of  Octo- 
ber, 1844,  a  church  of  twelve  members  was  organized,  in- 
cluding the  missionaries  and  their  wives.      In  1845  both  the 


I  82     FOREIGN   MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

missionaries  had  to  retire  on  account  of  failing  health,  and 
for  three  years  the  field  was  left  without  a  missionary. 

The  Board,  in  the  early  years  of  its  history,  turned  its 
attention  to  the  great  "Dark  Continent."  Soon  after  the 
organization  of  the  Convention,  in  1814,  the  colored  people 
of  Richmond  formed  an  "African  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety." Two  colored  men,  members  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  in  Richmond,  Lott  Carey  (a  man  of  somewhat  re- 
markable gifts  and  devotion),  and  Cohn  Teague,  were  sent 
to  Africa  under  appointment  of  the  American  Colonization 
Society.  In  1820  the  Convention  Board  recognized  them  as 
its  missionaries  and  made  a  small  appropriation  of  money  for 
their  use.  Beyond  what  was  provided  for  them  by  the  Rich- 
mond society  no  further  appropriation  was  made  till  1825. 
The  field  was  in  Liberia  on  the  West  Coast.  The  first  church 
was  organized  in  1821,  composed  of  seven  members.  In 
1830  the  church-membership,  scattered  in  a  few  towns,  had 
reached  150.  New  recruits  to  the  mission  force  were  being 
sent  from  time  to  time,  but  many  of  them  were  quickly  cut 
down  by  the  deadly  African  fever.  Mr.  Crocker  reduced  the 
Bassa  language  to  writing.  Very  little  was  accomplished 
among  the  pagan  natives,  nearly  all  the  church-members  being 
American  emigrants. 

We  have  hurriedly  glanced  at  the  beginnings  of  the  work  in 
the  fields  entered  prior  to  1845.  It  remains  for  us  now  in 
carrying  out  the  design  of  this  chapter,  to  say  a  few  words 
regarding  the  work  at  home.  Luther  Rice  never  returned  to 
the  foreign  field,  but,  as  agent  of  the  Convention,  was  a  great 
force  in  the  development  of  the  home  side  of  the  work.  In 
181 7  the  Convention  resolved  on  undertaking  ministerial 
education  work  also,  with  the  thought  of  training  missionaries 
and  especially  of  qualifying  them  to  translate  the  Bible  from 
the  original  into  the  languages  spoken  on  the  mission  fields. 
For  this  purpose  a  seminary  was  begun  in  Philadelphia,  but 
later  Columbian  College  was  established  at  Washington.  In 
1826  it  was  decided  that  the  Convention  should  confine 
itself  to  the  foreign  mission  work  and  leave  the  college  to  be 
supported  as  a  separate  institution.  Mr.  Rice  devoted  the 
remaining  ten  years  of  his  Ufe  to  the  interests  of  the  college. 
The  first  president  of  the  society  was  Rev.  Dr.  Richard 
Furman,  of  South  Carolina,  a  man  of  eminent  gifts  and  con- 
secration. Filling  the  important  office  of  corresponding  sec- 
retary the  Convention  had  from  the  beginning  men  of  distin- 
guished ability  and  devotion.  Doctor  Staughton  occupied 
the  position  from  1814  till  the  headquarters  were  removed  to 


THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    MISSIONARY    UNION  1 83 

Boston,  in  1826.  Following  him  was  Dr.  Lucius  BoUes,  from 
1826  to  1843.  From  1838  Dr.  Solomon  Peck  was  associated 
with  Doctor  Bolles,  after  whose  retirement  he  succeeded  as 
sole  incumbent  of  the  oifice  for  a  time,  but  from  1841  to  1845 
he  had  associated  with  him  Dr.  Robert  E.  Pattison,  and  from 
1846  to  1856  Dr.  Fdward  Bright.  The  year  1835  was  marked 
by  the  sending  of  the  first  delegate,  Rev.  Howard  Malcom, 
to  visit  the  mission  fields  in  the  East. 

We  close  this  section  of  the  chapter  with  the  simple  record 
that  in  the  year  1845  the  Southern  members  of  this  national 
Baptist  organization  withdrew  from  it  on  the  slavery  question, 
and  formed  a  society  of  their  own,  called  "The  Southern 
Baptist  Convention. ' ' 

Archibald  P.  McDiarmid. 


PART  II 

THE  AMERICAN  BAPTIST  MISSIONARY  UNION 

After  the  withdrawal  of  the  Baptists  of  the  Southern 
States  and  the  formation  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention 
in  May,  1845,  "The  General  Convention  of  the  Baptist 
Denomination  in  the  United  States  for  Foreign  Missions" 
continued  its  work  under  the  same  name  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation for  one  year.  It  seemed  to  some  of  the  leaders, 
however,  that  a  simpler  and  more  effective  organization  might 
be  devised,  and  accordingly  measures  were  taken  to  secure 
from  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  an  act  entitled  "An  act 
changing  the  name  of  the  Association  known  as  '  The  General 
Convention  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in  the  United  States 
for  Foreign  Missions  and  other  important  objects  relating  to 
the  Redeemer's  Kingdom  '  to  that  of  'The  American  Baptist 
Missionary  Union,'  and  for  altering  and  amending  the  char- 
ter of  the  same."  As  the  headquarters  of  the  Society  had 
been  removed  from  Philadelphia  to  Boston  in  1826,  cor- 
responding action  was  secured  from  the  Legislature  of  the 
State  of  Massachusetts  under  the  title,  "  An  act  to  authorize 
'  The  General  Convention  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in  the 
United  States  for  Foreign  Missions  and  other  important 
objects  relating  to  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom'  to  take  and 
use  the  name  of  'The  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union' 
and  to  define  more  clearly  the  purpose,  rights,  and  powers  of 
the  said  corporation."     The  Missionary  Union  is  therefore 


184     FOREIGN   MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

the  General  Missionary  Convention  continued  under  a 
change  of  name,  "  with  all  its  rights,  duties,  and  privileges," 
and  dates  its  organization  from  May  18,  18 14.  Two  of  its 
missionaries,  Rev.  Lewis  J.  Shuck  and  Rev.  I.  J.  Roberts, 
at  Canton,  China,  withdrew  to  join  the  Southern  Conven- 
tion, but  all  the  property  of  the  missions  and  all  the  rest  of 
the  missionaries  were  continued  under  the  Union  without 
change  or  interruption. 

The  first  problem  in  the  foreign  mission  work  to  which  the 
Baptists  of  the  North  were  called  to  address  themselves  after 
the  withdrawal  of  their  Southern  brethren  was  to  provide  a 
support  for  the  missions  which  had  hitherto  drawn  their 
resources  from  the  whole  country.  This  question  was  not 
wholly  new,  as  in  1826,  when  the  finances  of  the  Missionary 
Convention  were  at  a  low  ebb  and  some  were  discouraged, 
the  Baptists  of  New  England  had  volunteered  to  assume  the 
whole  responsibiUty  of  the  missions  and  the  headquarters 
were  then  removed  from  Philadelphia  to  Boston.  As  in  the 
former  case,  the  necessary  funds  were  now  provided  and  a 
large  increase  in  the  missionary  income  was  realized.  In  the 
five  years  after  the  withdrawal  of  Southern  Baptists  from  the 
Convention  the  income  of  the  society  averaged  nearly  $20,- 
000  annually  more  than  during  the  five  years  previous,  and 
in  1850  reached  $118,726.35,  a  larger  sum  than  had  thus 
far  been  received  in  one  year.  A  potent  factor  in  this 
great  achievement  under  untoward  circumstances  was  Edward 
Bright,  D.  D.  He  was  chosen  corresponding  secretary  of  the 
Missionary  Union  for  the  Home  Department  in  1846,  and 
addressed  himself  at  once  and  with  characteristic  vigor  to  the 
task  of  organizing  and  enlarging  the  resources  of  the  society. 
His  papers  and  addresses,  during  his  term  of  service  until 
1855,  are  the  most  striking  and  effective  productions  on  the 
principles  and  methods  of  arousing  missionary  interest  and 
raising  an  income  which  have  been  produced  in  the  history 
of  the  society,  and  he  gave  an  impress  to  the  operations  of 
the  Missionary  Union  on  the  home  field  which  is  felt  to  the 
present  day. 

Many  of  the  ablest  and  most  devoted  leaders  in  the  de- 
nomination viewed  the  prospect  of  a  division  between  the 
Baptists  of  the  Northern  and  Southern  States  with  alarm  and 
dismay,  and  earnestly  sought  to  avert  it.  The  separation 
was,  however,  inevitable,  and  would  have  occurred  later  if 
not  at  that  time.  But  instead  of  bringing  loss  and  injury  to 
the  missionary  cause  the  division  resulted  in  a  large  increase 
in  the  work.     The  Baptists  of  the  North  were  aroused  as 


THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    MISSIONARY    UNION         1 85 

never  before  to  the  support  of  the  missions  for  which  they 
now  became  wholly  responsible,  and  the  Southern  Baptists 
rallied  with  characteristic  enthusiasm  to  the  standard  of  their 
new  society. 

Aside  from  the  missions  among  the  American  Indians, 
Avhich  were  transferred  to  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mis- 
sion Society  in  1865,  the  Missionary  Convention  in  1845 
reported  109  missionaries,  123  native  helpers,  seventy-nine 
churches  on  the  foreign  fields  with  about  5,000  members, 
and  fifty-six  schools  with  1,350  pupils.  The  missions  were 
located  in  Burma,  Siam,  China,  Assam,  and  India,  in  Asia  ; 
in  Liberia,  Africa ;  and  in  France,  Germany,  Denmark,  and 
Greece,  in  Europe.  In  the  last  fifty-five  years  of  the  work 
of  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union  the  missions  have 
been  extended  to  Japan  in  Asia,  to  the  Congo  Free  State  in 
Africa,  and  to  Sweden,  Russia,  Finland,  and  Spain,  in  Eu- 
rope. The  missions  in  Burma  have  grown  from  three  to 
twenty-seven  stations,  those  in  Assam  from  three  to  eleven 
stations,  those  in  China  from  two  to  fourteen  stations,  and 
the  Telugu  mission  in  India  from  one  station,  "The  Lone 
Star,"  to  twenty-five  central  stations.  Even  more  remark- 
able is  the  growth  in  the  workers  and  the  results,  as  the 
Missionary  Union  for  the  year  1900  reports  474  missionaries, 
4,695  native  helpers,  1,912  churches,  206,746  members  in 
the  mission  churches,  1,445  schools  and  37,297  pupils,  an 
increase  of  365  missionaries,  4,572  native  helpers,  1,833 
churches  and  201,746  members,  1,389  schools  and  35,947 
pupils.  The  wise,  persistent,  and  aggressive  methods  of  the 
Baptists  of  the  Northern  States  have  caused  their  foreign 
missionary  work  to  more  than  keep  pace  with  their  develop- 
ment at  home,  the  income  having  advanced  from  $82,302.95 
in  1845  to  $543,048.51  in  1900,  and  the  favor  of  the  Lord 
has  placed  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union  the  first 
among  the  missionary  societies  of  the  world  as  to  the  number 
of  converts  gathered  into  the  churches  on  the  mission  fields. 

While  to  Dr.  Edward  Bright  must  be  given  the  credit  for 
molding  the  home  policy  of  the  Missionary  Union,  the  meth- 
ods of  the  society  on  the  foreign  fields  are  chiefly  indebted 
to  John  N.  Murdock,  d.  d.  ,  ll.  d.  ,  whose  service  as  cor- 
responding secretary  for  twenty-nine  years,  from  1863  to 
1892,  covered  the  largest  development  of  the  missions. 
During  this  period  the  annual  income  of  the  society  in- 
creased from  $103,956.96  to  $569,172.93,  the  number  of 
missionaries  from  eighty-four  to  417,  and  the  converts  in  the 
mission  churches  from  31,000  to  163,881.     This  remarkable 


l86     FOREIGN  MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

prosperity  was  due  in  a  large  measure,  as  far  as  human  agency 
can  be  traced,  to  the  wisdom,  firmness,  broad  judgment,  and 
farsightedness  of  Doctor  Murdock,  which  enabled  the  Union, 
with  an  income  inferior  to  that  of  several  other  societies,  to 
achieve  results  which  in  some  features  have  surpassed  them 
all.  During  the  greater  part  of  his  term  of  service  it  was  the 
policy  of  other  societies  to  place  two  or  more  families  at  cen- 
tral stations,  and  to  give  employment  to  but  a  small  force  of 
native  laborers,  while  the  Missionary  Union  under  the  same 
conditions  placed  one  American  missionary  in  charge  of  a 
field  and  surrounded  him  with  as  large  a  force  of  native 
helpers  as  could  be  procured  or  as  the  funds  in  hand  would 
allow.  It  is  this  policy,  without  doubt,  which  has  given  the 
Union  pre-eminence  in  evangelistic  work  and  in  the  number 
of  converts,  and  all  the  larger  missionary  societies  of  the 
world  have  conceded  the  correctness  of  the  policy  by  con- 
forming to  it  in  their  methods  in  later  years.  Some  of  these 
societies  have  more  than  quadrupled  the  proportion  of  native 
laborers  to  missionaries  within  the  last  decade  and  have  even 
surpassed  in  this  respect  the  Missionary  Union  itself !  In 
some  of  the  measures  which  he  advocated.  Doctor  Murdock 
was  in  advance  of  his  age.  An  example  of  this  is  found  in 
the  annual  report  of  the  Missionary  Union  for  1874.  The  in- 
troduction is  largely  given  up  to  an  earnest,  able,  and  elo- 
quent advocacy  of  the  employment  of  a  certain  proportion 
of  men  pledged  to  remain  unmarried  for  a  time  while  engaged 
in  certain  tentative  and  specially  hazardous  features  of  mis- 
sionary hfe.  This  aroused  a  storm  of  criticism  and  opposi- 
tion for  a  time,  and,  to  his  great  sorrow,  alienated  from  Doc- 
tor Murdock  many  friends  who  did  not  fully  understand  his 
views.  But  his  position  has  been  vindicated  by  the  adop- 
tion of  his  suggestions  by  all  the  large  European  missionary 
societies,  although  not  accepted  by  the  society  which  he 
served.  Many  utterances  on  the  platform  and  in  the  press, 
however,  indicate  a  growing  movement  toward  an  acceptance 
of  the  propositions  made  in  1874  by  Doctor  Murdock. 

To  others  also  it  has  been  given  to  speak  decisive  words  in 
momentous  crises  of  our  missionary  history.  Four  pecu- 
liarly inspiring  instances  must  be  mentioned. 

On  November  19,  1845,  was  held  the  first  meeting  of  the 
General  Missionary  Convention  after  the  withdrawal  of  the 
Baptists  of  the  South.  It  was  a  special  meeting  to  consider 
the  question  of  the  future  of  the  missions,  and  it  was  made 
memorable  not  only  by  the  grave  importance  of  the  questions 
to  be  considered,  but  by  the  presence  of  the  pioneer  American 


THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    MISSIONARY    UNION         1 8/ 

Baptist  missionary,  Adoniram  Judson.  He  had  just  returned 
to  the  homeland  after  a  continuous  absence  of  thirty-three 
years.  At  the  regular  meeting  of  the  Convention  in  the 
spring,  as  the  funds  were  low,  the  officers  had  been  directed 
to  report  a  plan  for  the  reduction  of  the  missions.  The  re- 
port was  made  to  this  meeting  in  an  extended  paper  read  by 
the  foreign  secretary,  Solomon  Peck,  d.  d.  Among  other 
measures  it  recommended  the  abandonment  of  the  mis- 
sion in  Arakan.  On  arriving  in  America  Doctor  Judson  had 
been  unable,  from  weakness,  to  speak  above  a  whisper.  He 
was  still  forbidden  to  speak  in  public.  No  Baptist  congrega- 
tion in  America  had  ever  heard  the  voice  of  their  first  foreign 
missionary.  But  when  this  report  was  read  the  lion  was 
roused.  Rising  to  his  feet,  Mr.  Judson,  in  a  full  voice,  said, 
"Though  forbidden  of  the  doctors  to  speak  in  public,  I  must 
protest  against  the  abandonment  of  the  Arakan  mission."  It 
was  all  he  could  say,  but  it  was  enough.  The  Convention 
unanimously  resoh'ed  not  to  abandon  any  mission  work,  and 
raised  at  once  the  funds  needed  to  pay  the  balance  of  the 
debt  of  $40,000,  and  to  provide  $5,000  for  strengthening 
the  missions. 

In  1853  the  mission  to  the  Telugus  in  India  had  been 
carried  on  for  seventeen  years  with  very  little  apparent  result. 
At  the  annual  meeting  in  Albany,  N.  Y. ,  the  transfer  of  the 
mission  to  Burma  was  strongly  advocated.  There  was  but 
one  station,  Nellore.  After  long  discussion,  Dr.  Edward 
Bright,  the  home  secretary,  pointing  to  the  map,  demanded, 
"Who  will  write  the  letter  blotting  out  the  lone  star  in  India? 
I  will  not."  The  tide  of  feeling  began  to  turn.  The  title 
given  to  Nellore,  "The  Lone  Star,"  caught  the  mind  and 
heart  of  the  Baptist  poet,  Samuel  Francis  Smith,  who  was 
present,  and  that  night  he  wrote  the  famous  poem,  "The 
Lone  Star,"  and  read  it  in  the  meeting  the  next  morning. 
It  was  voted  to  continue  and  to  reinforce  the  mission. 

Again,  in  1862,  the  abandonment  of  the  Telugu  mission 
was  urged  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Missionary  Union  in 
Providence,  out  it  was  resolved  before  taking  final  action  to 
await  the  arrival  of  Rev.  Lyman  Jewett,  the  sole  missionary, 
who  was  on  his  way  to  America.  In  his  interview  with  the 
executive  committee  of  the  Union,  on  being  asked  his  opinion 
as  to  the  giving  up  the  mission,  Mr.  Jewett  replied,  "You 
may  give  up  the  mission  to  the  Telugus,  but  I  never  will." 
Dr.  Jonah  G.  Warren,  then  foreign  secretary,  at  once  replied, 
"Well,  Brother  Jewett,  if  you  will  go  back  among  that 
heathen  people,  we  must  send  some  one  with  you  to  give 


1 88     FOREIGN   MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

you  a  Christian  burial."  So  the  Telugu  mission  was  pre- 
served to  become  one  of  the  brightest  gems  in  the  crown  of 
American  Baptist  missions. 

Yet  another  instance  of  the  power  of  a  "word  fitly 
spoken."  When  the  Congo  mission  in  Africa  was  adopted 
by  the  Missionary  Union,  in  1884,  doubts  as  to  the  expedi- 
ency of  the  action  existed  in  the  minds  of  many,  who  feared 
that  by  this  new  burden  the  Union  might  be  embarrassed  in 
the  support  of  its  older  missions  in  Asia.  This  opposition 
continued  with  considerable  strength  through  the  winter.  In 
the  spring  of  1885  Rev.  A.  Sims,  m.  d.  ,  of  Leopoldville,  came 
to  America.  He  was  the  first  missionary  from  the  Congo  to 
visit  the  Baptists  of  the  United  States,  and  after  an  interview 
with  the  executive  committee  of  the  Missionary  Union  at 
Boston,  in  which  the  whole  situation  on  the  Congo  was  fully 
set  forth,  and  many  things  which  even  the  committee  and 
officers  of  the  Union  had  not  previously  understood,  were 
explained,  it  was  decided  that,  with  Dr.  A.  J.  Gordon,  Doctor 
Sims  should  visit  various  cities  in  America  for  conference  with 
leading  representatives  of  the  Baptists,  and  at  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Union  in  Asbury  Park,  in  May,  the  adoption 
of  the  mission  was  enthusiastically  endorsed  and  its  prosecu- 
tion entered  upon  with  energy. 

Aside  from  the  generally  successful  progress  of  the  missions 
on  all  the  fields  the  work  of  the  Missionary  Union  has  been 
marked  by  four  special  and  remarkable  successes — the  ad- 
vance of  the  churches  in  Burma  in  self-support,  self-depend- 
ence, and  self-propagation  ;  the  remarkable  ingathering  in 
the  mission  at  Ongole,  India,  under  the  administration  of 
John  E.  Clough,  d.  d.  ;  the  great  prosperity  which  has  been 
experienced  in  the  Garo  mission  at  Tura,  Assam,  founded  by 
Rev.  M.  C.  Mason  and  Rev.  E.  G.  Phillips  ;  and  "the  Pen- 
tecost on  the  Congo,"  begun  in  connection  with  the  labors 
of  Rev.  Henry  Richards,  at  Banza  Manteke,  and  continued 
at  that  station  and  in  the  adjoining  fields. 

Of  these,  while  more  quiet  in  its  operation  and  attracting 
less  of  public  attention  in  its  promise  of  the  speedy  establish- 
ment of  an  indigenous,  self-supporting,  and  self-managing 
Christian  church,  the  progress  of  the  Karen  churches  in 
Burma  may  perhaps  be  placed  first  in  importance.  From  the 
very  first  in  the  Bassein  Karen  mission  the  principles  of  self- 
help  had  been  strongly  advocated  by  Elisha  L.  Abbott,  the 
founder,  and  his  successors.  The  Karen  Christians  had 
shown  marked  liberality  according  to  the  testimony  of  the 
older  missionaries  among  them  ;   but  perhaps  none  of  the 


THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    MISSIONARY    UNION         1 89 

churches  in   1S45  were  actually  and  entirely  self-supporting. 
They  were  encouraged,  however,  to  work  to  this  end  to  pro- 
vide for  their  own  pastors  as  far  as  possible,  and,  when  able, 
to  maintain  schools  for  their  own  children.     These  principles 
have  been  generally  and  almost  universally  advocated  by  all 
the  missionaries  of  the  Union  in  Burma  among  the  different 
races.      The  Bassein  Christians,  under  the  special  leadership 
of  Rev.  C.  H.  Carpenter,  raised  a  fund  of  more  than  $31,000 
for  the  erection  of  a  memorial  building  in  honor  of  the  first 
Karen  convert,  Ko-Thahbyu,  which  was  dedicated  by  special 
jubilee  exercises  fifty  years  from  the  date  of  his  conversion. 
The  remainder  of  the  fund  not  required  for  the  erection  of  the 
building  has  been  invested  in  America,  the  income  being  used 
for  the  support  of  the  Sgaw  Karen  Normal  and  Industrial 
Institute,  which  is  carried  on  in  the  Ko-Thahbyu  Memorial 
Hall.     The  Rangoon  Sgaw  Karens  also  have  always  mani- 
fested a  large  degree  of  independence  and  self-reliance  in 
their  evangeUstic  and  school  work,  having  erected  buildings 
and  established  compounds  for  the  missionaries  at  their  own 
cost,  and  provided  largely  for  the  support  of  their  own  pas- 
tors and  the  central  school  at  Rangoon,  as  well  as  of  their  own 
village  schools.    At  Shwegyin  and  Henzada  progress  has  been 
manifested,  and  at  other  stations  in  less  degree,  but  perhaps 
with  no  less  an  amount  of  effort.    The  progress  of  these  prin- 
ciples has  gone  on  so  strongly  that  the   Karen  mission  in 
Burma  has  become  the  model  mission  of  the  world  in  self- 
support,  self-dependence,  and  in  the  propagation  of  the  gos- 
pel to  others.    The  Karen  Christians  carry  on  missions  among 
the  Karens  in  Northern  Siam  and  among  the   Kachins  in 
northern  Burma,  as  well  as  provide  for  a  large  amount  of 
missionary  work  among  their  heathen  neighbors  in  the  local- 
ities nearer  by.     Of  the  685  churches  in  Burma,  482  are  self- 
supporting,  and  378  out  of  the  whole  number  of  514  schools. 
After  long  years  of  little  success  in  the   Baptist  mission 
among  the  Telugus  of  India,  greater  prosperity  began  to  be 
experienced   about    1866,  until    in    1876    there   were   4,000 
Christians  in  the  Telugu  mission.      At  that  time  occurred  the 
great  famine,   in    1877-1878,  in   which   about   5,000,000  of 
the  people  of  India  perished.     The  whole  field  of  the  Baptist 
Telugu  mission  was  involved  in  the  famine.      Missionary  work 
was  necessarily  partly  laid  aside  and  the  missionaries  turned 
their  attention  to  saving  the  lives  of  the  people.      They  acted 
as  agents  of  the  government  and  of  the  American  public  in 
distributing  aid,   and   also  to  some  extent   in    superintend- 
ing pubUc  works.     J.  E.  Clough,   d.    d.,   the  missionary  in 


190     FOREIGN   MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

charge  of  the  Ongole  station  in  the  center  of  the  famine- 
stricken  area,  being  a  practical  surveyor,  took  a  contract  from 
the  government  to  build  three  miles  of  the  Buckingham  Canal, 
which  was  to  pass  through  his  district.  By  this  means  he 
gave  employment  to  large  numbers  and  saved  thousands  of 
lives.  But  although  hundreds  applied  for  baptism,  yet  for 
fear  that  they  might  be  actuated  by  unworthy  motives,  none 
were  received.  After  the  famine  was  over  the  prohibition 
was  removed,  and  in  one  day,  July  3,  1878,  2,222  were  bap- 
tized in  the  Gundalacuma  River,  twelve  miles  north  of  Ongole. 
This  is  the  largest  number  received  into  a  Christian  church 
in  one  day  on  profession  of  their  personal  faith  in  Christ  since 
the  day  of  Pentecost  in  Jerusalem.  Baptisms  in  the  mission 
continued  until  in  two  months  they  amounted  to  9,147.  This 
great  ingathering  has  been  the  inspiring  element  in  all  subse- 
quent progress  of  the  American  Baptist  Telugu  mission,  which 
in  1900  reported  about  55,000  members  in  the  churches. 

One  of  the  most  gratifying  achievements  of  the  missions  of 
the  Union,  although  on  a  smaller  scale,  is  found  in  the  Garo 
mission  at  Tura,  in  southeastern  Assam.  The  Garos  were 
wild  and  savage  inhabitants  of  the  hills  and  mountains,  but 
were  found  to  be  peculiarly  open  to  the  gospel  and  espe- 
cially efficient  in  proclaiming  the  truth  to  their  own  people. 
The  first  converts  immediately  became  preachers  to  their 
friends  on  an  independent  basis.  This  unusual  exhibition 
of  independence  attracted  the  special  attention  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, and  the  immediate  prosperity  of  the  missionary 
work  among  the  Garos  led  to  the  removal  of  Rev.  M.  C. 
Mason  and  Rev.  E.  G.  PhiUips  from  Goalpara,  in  the  Brama- 
putra  Valley,  to  Tura  on  the  hills,  in  order  to  be  more  closely 
in  touch  with  the  mountain  people.  At  this  place  has  been 
developed  one  of  the  model  missions  of  the  Missionary  Union. 
The  compound  at  Tura  comprises  in  itself  in  compact  form 
all  the  essentials  of  a  model  missionary  station,  with  central 
schools  and  industrial  work.  The  churches,  in  which  are 
found  more  than  3,500  members,  are  fully  organized  in  Asso- 
ciations conducted  by  the  native  Christians,  and  not  only 
support  their  pastors,  but  evangelists  for  their  own  Associa- 
tions, and  missionaries  are  sent  to  the  native  tribes  north  of 
the  Brahmaputra  River.  Of  the  sixteen  churches  of  the 
mission  twelve  are  wholly  self-supporting. 

For  seven  years  Rev.  Henry  Richards  labored  at  Banza 
Manteke,  in  the  Congo  mission,  with  little  success.  He  then 
began  the  translation  of  the  Gospel  of  Luke,  reading  it  and 
explaining  it  to  the  people  as  he  went  along,  and  increased 


THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    MISSIONARY    UNION         I9I 

interest  in  the  truth  was  shown.  In  a  short  time  a  move- 
ment developed  among  the  people  which  must  be  consid- 
ered among  the  remarkable  missionary  movements  of  the 
limes.  More  than  1,100  brought  their  fetiches  and  idols 
and  threw  them  at  the  feet  of  the  missionary  and  declared 
themselves  followers  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  Not 
all  were  received  into  the  churches,  as  Mr.  Richards  de- 
sired a  pure  church  on  a  Christian  basis.  But  the  movement 
has  gone  on,  and  has  spread  to  the  country  round  about. 
At  Banza  Manteke  and  the-adjoining  stations  of  Kifwa,  Pala- 
bala,  and  Lukunga  are  2,513  Christians,  and  the  churches 
increased  in  membership  more  than  fifty  per  cent,  during  the 
year  1899.  An  especially  gratifying  feature  of  the  mission 
on  the  Congo  is  that  all  the  churches  are  entirely  self-sup- 
porting. The  independence,  self-reliance,  and  evangeHstic 
features  of  this  mission  give  abundant  promise  for  growth 
and  a  large  expansion  in  the  immediate  future. 

The  English  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  the  first  society 
formed  to  be  supported  by  the  voluntary  contributions  of 
Christians,  was  organized  in  1792.  1892,  100  years  from 
that  date,  was  observed  as  a  centennial  missionary  year,  not 
only  by  the  Baptists  of  England,  but  by  other  Christian 
bodies,  and  with  peculiar  interest  by  the  Baptists  in  America. 
A  special  effort  was  made  to  enlarge  the  income  of  the  Amer- 
ican Baptist  Missionary  Union  and  to  reach  the  standard  of 
one  million  dollars  in  one  year.  The  effort  in  this  direction 
was  successful,  as  at  the  annual  meeting  in  Denver,  in 
1893,  the  home  secretary  of  the  Union,  Henry  C.  Mabie,  d. 
D.,  was  able  to  report  the  total  amount  received  into  the 
treasury  during  the  year  as  ;^  1,0 10, 34 1.46.  Of  this  amount, 
however,  only  $766,782.95  could  be  devoted  to  the  current 
expenses  of  the  society. 

Aside  from  the  special  achievements  of  Baptist  missions 
under  the  auspices  of  the  American  Baptist  Missionary 
Union,  which  have  been  referred  to,  the  world  owes  a  large 
indebtedness  to  this  vigorous  and  important  missionary 
organization  for  its  services  not  only  to  Christianity  in  gen- 
eral but  to  education,  to  science,  and  to  civilization.  The 
policy  of  the  Missionary  Union  has  been  always  to  lay  chief 
emphasis  on  the  work  of  preaching  the  gospel,  but  as  inci- 
dental to  this,  great  subsidiary  advantages  have  accrued  to 
the  people  in  the  various  lands  in  which  the  missions  have 
been  maintained.  While  the  gospel  has  been  preached  and 
many  hundred  thousands  of  converts  have  been  brought  into 
the  kingdom  of  Christ,  these  and  others  have  received  mani- 


192     FOREIGN   MISSION  WORK  OF   THE  DENOMINATION 

fold  and  important  advantages  incidental  to  the  advancement 
of  the  general  missionary  work. 

Although  the  early  missionaries  in  Burma  had  reduced  to 
writing  several  dialects  of  the  Karen  language,  it  was  re- 
served for  later  missionaries  to  perform  the  same  important 
service  for  the  Chins  and  for  the  Kachins,  the  numerous 
people  occupying  the  mountains  between  western  China 
and  upper  Burma  and  Assam.  This  was  done  by  Rev.  W. 
H.  Roberts  and  Rev.  Ola  Hanson,  whose  system  of  writing 
Kachin  in  Roman  letters  has  been  accepted  and  made  official 
by  the  government  of  British  India.  In  Assam,  also,  the 
dialect  of  the  Garo  tribe  and  of  two  numerous  and  powerful 
Naga  tribes,  the  Angami  and  the  Ao,  has  been  reduced  to 
written  form  as  well  as  several  minor  dialects.  In  the  Congo 
mission  a  field  of  special  interest  and  importance  in  philo- 
logical work  has  been  found  by  the  Baptist  missionaries. 
The  Kikongo  has  been  reduced  to  writing  by  various  persons, 
and  Dr.  A.  Sims,  of  Leopoldville,  who  has  been  decorated 
by  the  governments  both  of  France  and  Belgium  for  his 
eminent  medical  services,  made  a  dictionary  of  the  Kiteke 
and  also  compiled  a  vocabulary  of  the  Kiyansi. 

Besides  the  translation  of  the  Bible  into  Burman  by  Dr. 
Adoniram  Judson  and  into  the  Sgaw  Karen  by  Dr.  Francis 
Mason  in  the  early  days  of  the  mission  in  Burma,  the  entire 
volume  of  Holy  Scriptures  has  been  translated  into  Pwo 
Karen  by  Rev.  D.  L.  Brayton  and  into  Shan  by  J.  N. 
Cushing,  D.  D. ,  and  published  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Missionary  Union.  Doctor  Cushing  has  also  prepared  a 
dictionary  in  the  Shan  language  for  English  readers-,  and  a 
large  proportion  of  the  school  books  in  use  in  the  schools  of 
Burma  have  been  prepared  by  the  Baptist  missionaries  labor- 
ing in  connection  with  the  Missionary  Union.  Dr.  Nathan 
Brown,  who  had  translated  the  New  Testament  into  the 
Assamese,  after  his  removal  to  Japan  also  prepared  a  trans- 
lation of  the  New  Testament  in  Japanese,  which  has  had  a 
decided  influence  on  other  translations  made  in  that  tongue. 
Early  missionaries  began  the  translation  of  the  Old  Testament 
into  Assamese,  and  the  work  has  been  completed  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Union  by  Rev.  Albanus  K.  Gurney,  sent  out 
especially  for  that  purpose.  The  full  Bible  was  being  printed 
in  Assamese  in  1900.  Aside  from  these  entire  translations  of 
the  Bible  numerous  portions  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  have  been 
translated  into  several  minor  dialects  of  Burma,  into  various 
dialects  of  Assam,  and  of  the  Congo.  The  wliole  New  Testa- 
ment has  also  been  translated  by  Dr.  Lyman  Jewett  into  the 


THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    MISSIONARY    UNION         1 93 

Telugu  language  of  India  and  into  the  local  dialect  of  Swatow, 
China,  by  Dr.  William  Ashmore,  Dr.  S.  B.  Partridge,  Rev. 
William  Ashmore,  Jr.,  and  others.  Rev.  Josiah  Goddard 
translated  the  whole  New  Testament  into  the  colloquial 
dialect  of  Ningpo,  China,  and,  at  the  request  of  many  mis- 
sionaries of  various  bodies,  his  son,  J.  R.  Goddard,  d.  d.  , 
has  prepared  a  version  of  the  Old  Testament  in  the  same 
dialect. 

Everywhere  that  the  missionaries  of  the  Union  have  gone, 
in  all  countries,  and  among  peoples  speaking  more  than  thirty 
languages,  schools  have  been  established,  beginning  at  the 
primary  grade  and  developing  upward  according  to  the  needs 
and  demands  of  the  people.  In  1900  the  American  Baptist 
Missionary  Union  had  under  its  auspices  1,437  schools  and 
eight  theological  seminaries,  besides  several  minor  training 
schools  for  preachers,  and  two  full  established  colleges,  one 
at  Rangoon,  Burma,  affiliated  with  the  university  at  Calcutta, 
and  one  at  Ongole,  India,  affiliated  with  the  university  at 
Madras.  In  a  large  number  of  these  schools  industrial  de- 
partments are  carried  on,  giving  to  the  young  men  and  young 
women  a  training  not  only  in  mind  but  in  body,  in  prepara- 
tion for  usefulness  in  various  industrial  arts  and  occupations, 
as  well  as  in  more  particularly  intellectual  pursuits  and  pro- 
fessions. The  sociological  effects  of  the  missions  have  also 
been  marked  in  every  country  in  which  they  have  been  main- 
tained. This  service  has  been  recognized  and  highly  com- 
mended by  the  government  of  Burma  and  British  India,  one 
administration  report  of  which  says  : 

"  Christianity  continues  to  spread  among  the  Karens  to 
the  great  advantage  of  the  commonwealth,  and  the  Christian 
Karen  communities  are  distinctly  more  industrious,  better 
educated,  and  more  law-abiding  than  the  Burman  and  Karen 
villages  around  them.  The  Karen  race  and  the  British  Gov- 
ernment owe  a  great  debt  to  the  American  missionaries,  who 
have,  under  Providence,  wrought  this  change  among  the 
Karens  of  Burma."  The  same  service  has  been  rendered 
to  a  large  degree  among  all  the  fields  in  which  Baptist  mis- 
sionaries have  been  laboring.  The  outcastes  in  India  have 
been  educated  and  raised  to  a  level  with  the  proud  Brahmans, 
and  become  their  competitors  in  the  civil  service  examinations 
for  official  positions,  a  thing  which  was  unknown  early  in  the 
history  of  India.  On  the  Congo,  American  Baptists  have,  by 
their  strict  adherence  to  the  practice  of  total  abstinence,  ren- 
dered a  large  service  in  stemming  the  increasing  tide  of  in- 
temperance which  threatened  to  overwhelm  and  obliterate  the 

N 


194     FOREIGN  MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

natives  of  the  Congo  Valley.  The  Baptist  churches  are  bul- 
warks against  the  efforts  of  traders  to  introduce  rum  into  Africa, 
and  missionaries  have  had  a  large  influence  in  recommending 
the  adoption  of  the  prohibition  measures  which  have  been 
found  necessary  for  the  salvation  of  the  African  people  from 
extermination  by  the  vice  of  intemperance.  Commerce, 
education,  civil  government,  and  higher  moral  standards 
have  been  advanced  wherever  the  missionaries  have  gone. 

Edmund  F.  Merriam. 


PART  III 

THE  SOUTHERN  BAPTIST  CONVENTION 

With  William  Carey  began  a  new  era  for  foreign  missions. 
The  doctrine  emphasized  by  Christ  in  his  farewell  words 
flashed  out  again  upon  God's  people.  The  Enghsh  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  which  sent  out  Carey,  was  organized 
October  2,  1792.  The  new  society  and  its  missionary  were 
made  the  subject  of  all  manner  of  scoffing  and  ridicule.  But 
they  work  well  who  work  with  God  to  carry  on  his  plans  in 
Christ.  Carey,  Fuller,  and  others  built  even  wiser  than  they 
knew.  The  English  Missionary  Society  started  by  sending 
out  Carey.  The  interest  developed,  and  funds  were  gathered 
in  this  country  also,  and  sent  to  the  society  in  England  for 
the  work.  But  God  was  moving  on  other  lines,  and  two 
young  men  were  in  college  in  America  preparing  to  go  to 
mission  fields.  These  young  men,  Judson  and  Rice  (Pedo- 
baptists),  started  for  India,  but  became  convinced  that  the 
Baptists  were  right,  and  so  on  arrival  in  India  were  baptized. 
Thus  providentially  the  Baptists  of  America  had  missionaries 
on  the  field.  The  mother  society  in  England  advised  that 
the  churches  in  this  country  have  a  separate  organization, 
and  May  21,  1814,  "The  General  Missionary  Convention 
of  the  Baptists  in  the  United  States"  was  formed.  In  this, 
the  old  "Triennial  Convention,"  the  Baptists  of  this  country 
worked  harmoniously  until  trouble  arose  in  reference  to  the 
question  of  slavery.  By  mutual  consent  a  division  was  thought 
best,  and  May  8,  1845,  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  was 
organized  in  Augusta,  Ga. 

To  better  carry  forward  the  work  of  missions  the  Conven- 
tion appointed  two  Boards  or  standing  Committees.     One  of 


THE    SOUTHERN    BAPTIST    CONVENTION  1 95 

these  was  the  Home  Mission  Board,  to  look  after  the  mission 
work  in  the  home  land,  and  the  other  the  Foreign  Mission 
Board,  to  look  after  the  work  in  foreign  lands.  The  Foreign 
Board  from  the  first  meeting  of  the  Convention  has  been 
located  in  Richmond,  Va.  It  consists  of  twenty-one  mem- 
bers living  in  Richmond,  and  one  vice-president  in  each 
affiliating  State.  The  general  management  of  the  Board  is 
committed  to  the  members  in  Richmond.  The  vice-presi- 
dents in  the  States  endeavor  to  awaken  interest  and  quicken 
the  zeal  of  our  people. 

The  Board  is  appointed  annually  by  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention.  The  Convention,  which  represents  the  churches, 
has  entire  control  of  the  Board,  which  is  really  only  a  com- 
mittee to  act  for  the  Convention,  or  for  the  churches  which 
compose  the  Convention.  Until  the  separation  from  the 
brethren  of  the  North  took  place,  the  States  which  went  into 
the  new  organization,  had  contributed  ^215,856.28  of  a  total 
^'874,027.92,  which  had  been  given.  While  the  churches  of 
the  South  had  contributed  about  one-fourth  of  the  funds, 
they  had  received  only  about  one-tenth  of  the  appointments! 

We  will  consider  the  work  of  the  Board  according  to  the 
countries  in  which  we  operate,  taking  these  in  the  order  in 
which  we  began  work  in  each. 

I.     CHINA. 

The  first  country  to  which  the  Board  decided  to  send  mis- 
sionaries was  China.  The  first  American  Baptist  missionary 
in  China  was  Rev.  J.  L.  Shuck,  of  Virginia.  At  a  missionary 
meeting  he  put  in  the  contribution  basket  a  piece  of  paper 
with  "Myself"  written  on  it  as  a  contribution.  He  was  sent 
out  by  the  old  Triennial  Convention  in  1835,  and  on  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  in  1845  was, 
with  Rev.  I.  J.  Roberts,  accepted  as  a  missionary  of  that  body! 
They  worked  at  Macao  and  Canton.  They  were  joined  by 
other  faithful  missionaries,  and  the  work  developed  until 
now  the  Convention  has  important  and  growing  interests  in 
southern,  central,  and  northern  China.  There  is  a  num- 
ber of  churches.  Those  in  and  around  Canton  are  known  as 
the  "South  China  Mission"  ;  those  in  and  around  Shanghai 
as  the  "  Central  China  Mission"  ;  and  those  in  the  Shantung 
province  in  north  Chma  as  the  "  North  China  Mission." 

I.  The  South  China  Afission.  This  was  our  first  interest 
in  China.  Work  was  begun  here  in  1845.  Canton,  a  city 
of  1,500,000  inhabitants,  situated  about  ninety  miles  from 
Hongkong,    is    the   principal   station.     Here    the  venerable 


196     FOREIGN   MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

Dr.  R.  H.  Graves  has  labored  since  1856,  and  is  still  doing 
a  noble  work.  By  his  side  Dr.  E.  Z.  Simmons  has  stood  for 
about  thirty  years.  A  number  of  other  excellent  men  and 
women  have  labored  faithfully  here  also.  About  eighty  miles 
from  Canton,  up  the  West  River,  is  located  Shiu  Hing,  and 
one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  farther  up  the  same  river,  is 
Wuchow.  Both  of  these  places  have  churches,  and  are  con- 
sidered by  the  workers  as  strong  strategic  points.  Many  other 
large  cities  are  in  the  bounds  of  this  mission.  There  are  in 
the  South  China  Mission  eight  male  and  eleven  female  mis- 
sionaries, eight  ordained  native  preachers,  twenty-three  other 
male  and  female  native  helpers.  In  1899  there  were  533 
baptisms.  Of  these,  over  200  were  baptized  by  a  native 
preacher.  The  mission  had  1687  members  January  i,  1900, 
and  at  that  time  there  were  seventeen  houses  of  worship. 
One  of  the  greatest  factors  for  good  in  this  mission  is  a  the- 
ological school  conducted  by  Doctor  Graves.  Besides  a 
training  school  for  women,  there  is  also  a  number  of  other 
schools — seventeen  in  all.  Many  of  these  are  supported  by 
the  natives. 

In  Canton  is  located  the  Chinese  Baptist  Publication  So- 
ciety, organized  in  February,  1899.  While  it  is  most  inti- 
mately associated  with  our  mission,  it  is  the  intention  of  those 
founding  it  to  make  it  furnish  the  Bibles,  tracts,  and  other 
literature  for  the  Baptist  workers  all  over  China.  Dr.  R.  H. 
Graves  is  president  of  the  society,  and  Rev.  R.  E.  Chambers 
is  corresponding  secretary.  The  native  Christians  took  stock 
liberally  in  this  great  enterprise. 

2.  Central  China  Mission.  About  900  miles  north  from 
Canton  is  Shanghai,  the  principal  station  of  the  Central 
China  Mission.  This  city  has  a  population  of  500,000  and 
is  one  of  the  most  important  cities  for  commerce,  fashion, 
and  literature  in  China.  Foreigners  have  been  attracted 
here  for  trade  until  there  is  a  foreign  city  by  the  side  of  the 
Chinese.  Our  work  here  was  opened  in  September,  1847, 
by  M.  T.  Yates,  J.  L.  Shuck,  and  T.  W.  Tobey.  Here  these 
noble  servants  of  God  labored  amid  great  difficulties  and  laid 
the  foundations  for  future  workers.  The  church  at  Shanghai 
has  about  100  members  and  five  preaching  stations.  Ninety 
miles  from  Shanghai,  and  situated  on  the  Grand  Canal,  is 
Soochow,  a  city  of  500,000  population.  Sixty  miles  farther 
up  the  canal,  and  on  the  Yang-tse  River,  is  Chinkiang,  with  a 
population  of  150,000.  Forty  miles  from  Chinkiang  is  Yang- 
chow,  with  a  population  of  300,000.  We  have  small  churches 
in  all  of  these  places.     Besides  these  named,  there  are  other 


THE    SOUTHERN    BAPTIST    CONVENTION  1 97 

points  at  which  our  missionaries  labor.  There  are  in  this 
mission  six  churches  with  six  male  and  ten  female  mission- 
aries ;  eleven  native  helpers,  of  whom  one  is  ordained  and 
two  are  women.  Twelve  baptisms  were  reported  last  year. 
The  membership  is  160.  They  have  six  houses  of  worship, 
and  ten  schools  with  an  attendance  of  275.  Dr.  R.  T.  Bryan 
has  recently  established  a  school  at  Shanghai  to  train  men  in 
the  ministry,  which  will  doubtless  do  great  good. 

3.  North  China  Mission.  Five  miles  north  of  Shanghai 
is  our  next  mission,  which  was  opened  in  i860  by  Rev.  J.  L. 
Holmes  and  wife  and  Dr.  J.  B.  Hartwell  and  wife.  Dr. 
T.  P.  Crawford  and  his  noble  wife  did  valuable  service  in 
connection  with  this  mission.  In  Tungchow,  located  on  the 
gulf  of  Pechih,  in  north  China,  the  work  is  being  conducted 
by  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hartwell,  Miss  Lottie  Moon,  and  other 
workers.  ^^'e  have  one  church  here  with  about  seventy 
members. 

Only  a  short  distance  to  the  southwest  is  Hwanghien, 
where  C.  W.  Pruitt  and  wife  have  labored  many  years.  We 
have  two  churches  here,  one  at  Hwanghien,  and  one  at 
Hwei  Ching,  six  miles  distant. 

Still  farther  southwest,  a  distance  of  115  miles  from  Tung- 
chow, we  come  to  Pingtu.  There  are  three  prosperous 
churches  at  Pingtu  and  near-by.  Saling  (a  village  eight  miles 
northwest)  has  a  good  church,  and  Chang- Kia-Kin  (a  village 
eight  miles  southwest  of  Pingtu  and  thirteen  south  of  Saling) 
has  a  small  church. 

In  the  early  part  of  1893,  several  valuable  workers  con- 
nected with  this  mission,  deciding  that  they  had  found  a 
better  way,  withdrew  from  connection  with  the  Board  and 
moved  farther  toward  the  interior  of  China,  where  they  have 
since  been  laboring  for  the  Master. 

The  last  report  for  all  our  missions  in  China  shows  a  total 
of  twenty-four  churches,  thirty-six  out-stations,  eighteen  male 
and  twenty-nine  female  missionaries,  nine  ordained  and  forty- 
six  unordained  helpers,  ten  of  the  latter  Avomen,  597  bap- 
tisms last  year,  2,299  members,  and  thirty-four  schools  with 
940  scholars. 

II.    AFRICA. 

The  work  of  Southern  Baptists  was  begun  in  Africa  when, 
in  1 82 1,  Lott  Carey  and  Cohn  Teague  (colored  men)  were 
sent  out  from  Richmond,  Va. ,  with  a  number  of  others  who 
went  to  form  a  colonization  society  in  that  country.  They 
made  a  settlement  in    Monrovia,   Liberia.     The  work  was 


198     FOREIGN   MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

fostered  by  the  old  Triennial  Convention  until  1845,  and 
when  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  was  organized,  the 
existing  work  was  continued  by  the  American  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Union. 

The  Southern  Baptist  Convention  sent  out  its  first  mission- 
ary, Rev.  T.  J.  Bowen,  in  1846,  who  began  work  in  Liberia. 
In  1850,  missionaries  of  the  Southern  Convention  were  sent 
to  the  Yoruba  country,  and  in  1856  the  Missionary  Union 
turned  over  the  whole  work  to  the  Southern  Board.  In  1867 
the  missionaries  were  driven  out  of  the  Yoruba  region  by  war, 
persecution,  and  sickness,  but  in  1875  the  work  was  resumed 
by  Rev.  W.  J.  David  and  Rev.  W.  W.  CoUey.  Work  was 
thenceforward  carried  on  in  the  Yoruba  country  alone.  On 
account  of  the  terrible  chmate  many  missionaries  have  died, 
and  many  have  been  driven  home.  Yoruba  Land  is  in 
Guinea,  West  Africa,  between  six  degrees  and  eight  degrees 
north  latitude.  The  chief  seaport  is  Lagos  where  there  are 
two  flourishing  Baptist  churches,  one  of  them  being  entirely 
independent.  The  missionaries  find  it  safer  for  health  to 
live  inland,  and  work  is  carried  on  at  Lagos  by  a  native  con- 
vert. There  are  stations  at  Hausser  Farm  (fifteen  miles  away), 
Abbeokuta  (seventy-five  miles),  Awyaw  (150  miles),  Ogbo- 
moshaw  (200  miles),  and  other  points.  The  last  annual  re- 
port showed  seven  missionaries,  twelve  native  assistants,  six 
churches,  fifty-six  baptisms,  and  385  members.  They  have 
six  houses  of  worship.  Four  schools  are  conducted  in  con- 
nection with  the  mission.  A  railroad,  recently  constructed 
from  Lagos  up  toward  the  Niger,  and  which  will  likely  be 
extended  to  that  river,  is  of  great  help  to  the  missionaries. 

III.     ITALY. 

Southern  Baptists  did  not  begin  work  in  Italy  until  1870, 
when  Dr.  W.  N.  Cote,  a  French  physician,  was  appointed  as 
a  missionary.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  enter  Rome  after 
the  pope  had  lost  his  temporal  power.  At  first  the  work 
seemed  to  prosper  wonderfully,  But  troubles  came.  Men 
employed  as  evangehsts  proved  to  be  unworthy.  Complica- 
tions arose,  and  Dr.  J.  B.  Jeter,  the  president  of  the  Board, 
was  requested  by  his  brethren  to  visit  Italy  and  try  to  adjust 
matters  in  the  mission.  It  was  decided  soon  after  that  it 
Avould  be  best  to  send  out  for  the  work  a  strong,  safe  man 
from  this  country,  and  Dr.  G.  B.  Taylor,  pastor  in  Staunton, 
Va. ,  was  elected.  He  took  the  work  in  1872,  and  has 
patiently  and  faithfully  labored  there  ever  since.  Dr.  John 
H.  Eager  was  added  to  this  mission  in  1880,  and  worked  in 


THE    SOUTHERN    BAPTIST    CONVENTION  1 99 

Rome  until  1890.  He  then  removed  his  field  of  labor  to 
Florence,  where  he  remained  until  1896,  when  he  returned 
home,  giving  up  the  Avork. 

While  the  cause  in  Italy  has  not  seemed  to  prosper  so 
rapidly  as  in  some  countries,  yet  it  must  be  remembered  that 
the  conditions  are  most  difficult. 

In  the  report  of  the  Board  for  1899,  there  are  reported 
twenty-four  churches  and  twenty  outstations,  one  missionary, 
twenty  native  helpers,  seventy-two  baptisms,  and  624  mem- 
bers. There  are  churches  in  Rome,  Florence,  Venice,  Genoa, 
Carpi,  Naples,  and  other  prominent  places,  including  churches 
in  Sardinia  and  Sicily.  We  have  a  chapel  in  Rome  which 
cost  about  $27,000.  The  English  Baptists  have  turned  over 
their  work  in  Naples  to  our  Board,  and  we  have  arranged  to 
take  their  chapel  in  that  city. 

IV.    MEXICO. 

The  Foreign  Board  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention 
began  work  in  Mexico  in  1880.  Rev.  J.  O.  Westrup  was 
first  appointed,  but  was  murdered  in  December,  1880.  Rev. 
W.  M.  Flournoy  took  up  the  work,  and  in  1882  Dr.  Powell 
was  appointed  and  moved  to  Mexico,  October,  1882.  Mr. 
Flournoy  worked  until  1885,  and  resigned.  Dr.  W.  D. 
Powell,  by  his  zeal,  energy,  and  consecration  soon  had  not 
only  a  great  work  started  in  Mexico,  but  had  so  thoroughly 
aroused  the  enthusiasm  of  his  brethren  at  home  that  a  num- 
ber of  new  missionaries  had  been  appointed,  several  church 
houses  built,  and  a  good  school  for  girls,  Madero  Institute, 
had  been  estabhshed.  In  1898,  the  Board  divided  the  work 
into  the  North  Mexican  Mission  and  South  Mexican  Mission, 
the  dividing  Hue  being  the  22°  of  latitude.  The  main  sta- 
tions in  the  North  Mexican  Mission  are  Saltillo,  Torreon, 
Durango,  and  Zacatecas,  while  in  the  south  are  Toluca, 
Morelia,  and  Leon.  The  report  made  to  the  last  Convention 
showed  in  both  missions  thirty-two  churches,  thirty-nine  out- 
stations, twelve  missionaries,  twenty  native  assistants,  of  whom 
ten  are  ordained,  175  baptisms  last  year,  and  a  membership 
of  1,232.  They  have  sixteen  houses  of  worship,  and  three 
schools.  The  outlook  in  1900  is  more  hopeful  than  for  sev- 
eral years  past.  A  Sunday-school  paper,  '^  El  Expositor,'" 
is  pubHshed  at  Saltillo,  and  in  the  same  city  the  Board  has 
had  a  school  for  training  young  preachers. 

V.     BRAZIL. 

Of  all  the  missions  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention, 


200     FOREIGN   MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

there  is  probably  none  which  has  been  more  prosperous  than 
that  in  the  land  of  the  Southern  Cross. 

Southern  Baptists  sent  Rev.  T.  J.  Bowen  to  Brazil  in  1859, 
but  his  health  failed  and  he  returned  home.  Nothing  more 
was  done  by  the  Southern  Convention  until  1881.  In  that 
year  Rev.  W.  B.  Bagby  and  wife  went  out  and  settled  for  a 
while  at  Campinas.  The  next  year  they  were  joined  by  Rev. 
Z.  C.  Taylor  and  wife,  and  these  together  opened  work  in 
Bahia.  At  first  there  was  much  persecution,  trial,  and  hard- 
ship, but  the  missionaries  were  faithful  to  their  calling  and  a 
good  beginning  was  made.  Later  Rev.  W.  B.  Bagby  moved 
to  Rio  and  began  work  in  that  great  city.  Other  missionaries 
joined  them  ;  the  work  spread,  and  to-day  there  are  five 
divisions  of  the  work,  known  as  :  The  Rio  Mission  ;  the  Cam- 
pos Mission  ;  the  Bahia  Mission  ;  the  Pernambuco  Mission  ; 
the  Sao  Paulo  Mission. 

1.  The  Rio  Mission.  The  main  church  in  this  mission  is 
at  Rio  de  Janeiro.  Rio  is  a  large  city  of  about  800,000  in- 
habitants and  is  the  metropohs  of  Brazil.  Many  nationalities 
are  represented  here  and  immigrants  continue  to  pour  in 
by  the  thousands.  Through  the  liberality  of  two  generous 
brothers,  the  Leverings,  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  the  church  is  pro- 
vided with  a  beautiful  house  of  worship,  which  is  a  great  help 
in  this  large  and  growing  city.  Other  churches  connected 
with  this  mission  are  located  at  Bello  Horizonte,  Santa  Bar- 
bara, Juiz  de  Fora,  and  Parahyba.  Bello  Horizonte  is  the 
new  capital  of  the  vast  State  of  Minas. 

One  of  the  greatest  blessings  to  the  Rio  Mission  is  Mr.  L. 
C.  Irvine,  a  layman  from  this  country  who  is  in  business  in 
Brazil,  being  connected  with  the  great  coffee  house  of  Lever- 
ing &  Co.  He  teaches,  preaches,  works,  gives,  and  in  other 
ways  helps  the  cause  of  the  Master. 

2.  The  Campos  Mission.  The  chief  city  of  this  mission  is 
Campos,  and  there  we  have  a  flourishing  church  of  about  215 
members.  They  have  a  church  building,  most  of  the  cost  of 
which  they  have  paid  themselves.  Rev.  S.  L.  Ginsburg  is 
the  earnest  missionary  in  charge  of  this  mission.  He  is  the 
converted  son  of  a  Russian  rabbi,  and  his  work  for  Christ  has 
been  greatly  blessed.  The  churches  at  San  Fidehs,  Grandu, 
Macahe,  and  Ernesto  Machado  are  also  connected  with  this 
mission. 

3.  Sao  Paulo  Mission.  This  mission  was  organized  in 
1899,  though  work  had  been  carried  on  by  us  in  the  city  and 
State  by  that  name  before.  Sao  Paulo  is  a  large  city  of 
75,000  inhabitants,  and  is  a  fine  place  for  mission  work.    The 


THE   SOUTHERN    BAPTIST    CONVENTION  201 

Board  has  given  instruction  to  Rev.  J.  J.  l^aylor,  missionary 
there,  to  open  a  school  for  the  training  of  young  preachers. 

4.  Bahia  Mission.  This  is  the  oldest  of  our  missions  in 
Brazil.  Rev.  Z.  C.  Taylor  has  worked  here  faithfully  for 
many  years.  The  churches  connected  with  this  mission  are 
located  at  Bahia,  Valenca,  Amargosa,  Vargem-Grande,  Casca, 
and  other  places.  Bahia  is  an  important  city  of  150,000  in- 
habitants. Here  Mrs.  Z.  C.  Taylor  has  a  large  school  which 
she  superintends  in  person. 

5.  Femambuco  Mission.  The  Pernambuco  Mission  is  still 
farther  up  the  Brazihan  coast,  and  has  been  much  blessed. 
There  are  in  this  mission  eight  churches,  located  at  Pernam- 
buco, Nazaretto,  Goyanna,  Maceio,  Natal,  and  Para.  It  has 
been  decided  by  the  Board  to  organize  the  work  in  and  around 
Maceio  into  another  mission,  to  be  known  as  the  Alagoas  Mis- 
sion, from  the  State  in  which  it  is  located.  It  would  be 
seen  on  a  map  that  we  have  churches  extending  from  far  up 
the  Amazon  to  Sao  Paulo,  a  distance  of  several  thousand 
miles. 

The  missionaries  in  Brazil,  with  the  concurrence  of  the 
Board,  have  agreed  to  remove  the  publishing  house  from 
Bahia  to  Rio.  This  new  arrangement  will  serve  much  better 
to  furnish  all  the  workers  with  the  needed  hterature.  The 
work  has  grown  until  the  last  report  showed  in  Brazil  twenty- 
seven  churches,  forty-five  outstations,  nineteen  missionaries, 
nineteen  native  helpers,  seven  of  them  ordained,  431  bap- 
tisms last  year,  1,922  members,  and  six  houses  of  worship. 

There  is  much  in  connection  with  the  work  in  Brazil  for 
which  we  should  thank  God  and  which  should  inspire  us  to 
press  forward  in  his  service.  What  was  started  years  ago  in 
weakness  has  grown,  until  now  we  have  work  in  nine  of  the 
twenty-one  States  and  one  of  our  most  prosperous  missions. 

VI.     JAPAN. 

In  i860  the  Board  sent  out  J.  Q.  A.  Rohrer  and  wife  as 
missionaries  to  Japan.  They  sailed  on  a  vessel,  "Edwin 
Forrest,"  which  was  never  afterward  heard  from.  Nothing 
further  was  done  until  1889,  when  the  Board  sent  out,  Octo- 
ber, 1889,  four  missionaries,  Rev.  J.  W.  McCollum  and 
wife  and  Rev.  J.  A.  Brunson  and  wife.  They  first  located 
at  Kobe  and  undertook  the  difficult  task  of  mastering  the 
language.  Rev.  J.  A.  Brunson  soon  became  dissatisfied, 
and,  deciding  that  he  was  not  called  to  be  a  missionary, 
returned  to  this  country.  Others  were  sent  out.  Mean- 
while the  work  had  all  been  transferred  to  the  part  of  Japan 


202     FOREIGN  MISSION  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

known  as  Kiushiu,  with  its  8,000,000  of  inhabitants.  The 
chief  stations  now  are  Fukuoka,  with  50,000  inhabitants  ; 
Nagasaki,  eighty  miles  southwest,  with  70,000  ;  Kokura,  forty 
miles  northeast,  with  15,000,  There  were  January  i,  1900, 
eight  missionaries,  seven  native  helpers,  and  seventy-five 
members.     Ten  baptisms  were  reported  for  1899. 

VII.     BRIEF    REVIEW. 

If  we  look  back  briefly  over  the  work,  we  find  that  in 
i860,  after  fifteen  years'  service,  the  Board  had  missionaries 
in  China  and  Africa.  They  had  just  sent  Rev.  T.  J.  Bowen, 
with  his  wife,  to  undertake  work  in  Brazil,  which  later,  on  ac- 
count of  the  failing  health  of  the  former,  they  had  to  abandon. 
The  Board  was  also  considering  Japan,  and  had  appointed 
several  missionaries,  none  of  whom,  however,  ever  reached 
Japan.  The  collection  for  the  Board  the  first  year  was 
$11,689.05  ;  for  i860  it  was  $41, 195.07  ;  for  the  first  fifteen 
years,  $383,344.28.  In  1845  it  started  without  a  mis- 
sionary; in  i860  it  had  twenty-three  missionaries  and  five 
native  assistants.  The  number  of  baptisms  is  not  recorded 
in  the  reports  of  that  period. 

Coming  forward  fifteen  years  more,  we  have  the  time  from 
i860  to  1875.  This  includes  the  trying  period  during  and 
after  the  Civil  War,  when  home  needs  greatly  reduced  the  re- 
ceipts of  the  Board  and  hindered  the  work.  During  this 
period  work  had  been  begun  in  Italy  (1870),  and  so  in  1875 
the  Board  had  missionaries  in  China,  Africa,  and  Italy. 
There  were  eighty-nine  baptisms  reported  for  the  year  in 
the  report  of  1875.  The  collections  for  the  year  were  $30,- 
848.58.  The  total  collections  for  fifteen  years  were  $408,- 
476.82.  There  were  fifteen  missionaries  employed,  with 
twenty-six  native  assistants. 

For  the  next  period  of  fifteen  years,  1875  to  1890,  we  find 
that  new  work  had  been  opened  in  Mexico  and  in  Japan, 
and  also  again  in  Brazil.  The  receipts  had  gone  up  in  1890 
to  $109,174.20  for  the  year,  the  total  for  the  fifteen  years 
being  $960, 189.87.  There  were  409  baptisms  reported  for 
the  year  1890,  and  a  total  membership  in  all  the  missions 
of  2,213.  The  reports  show  seventy-eight  missionaries  and 
eighty-six  native  assistants,  164  workers  in  all. 

For  the  last  ten  years,  1 890-1 900,  the  great  idea  has  been 
to  strengthen  and  develop  the  work  already  begun.  New 
stations  have  been  opened,  but  in  countries  already  occupied 
by  our  missionaries.  The  interest  has  increased  and  strength- 
ened in   the  home  land.      The  report  for   this  year,  1900, 


THE    SOUTHERN    BAPTIST    CONVENTION  203 

showed  the  following  results:  Contributions,  $140,102.30; 
baptisms,  1,341  ;  members,  6,537  ;  missionaries,  ninety-four; 
native  helpers,  133  ;  workers  in  all,  227.  Since  the  report 
was  rendered  in  May,  1900,  eight  other  missionaries  have 
been  appointed  and  two  of  those  on  the  field  have  resigned, 
so  that  the  Board  closed  1900  with  just  about  100  mission- 
aries and  135  native  workers.  The  total  contributions  from 
1845  to  May  I,  1900,  were  $2,984,295.  The  contributions 
for  the  past  ten  years  show  a  gratifying  increase,  being  over 
$1,200,000,  nearly  as  much  as  for  the  previous  thirty  years. 
The  great  commotion  in  China  owing  to  the  uprising  of 
the  "Boxers"  is  causing  trouble  at  the  time  this  is  written, 
but  doubtless  God  will  overrule  all  this  to  the  glory  of  his 
name.  Our  King  leads  us  on  as  we  go  in  his  name  to  give 
the  world  the  gospel  of  his  love  in  Christ.  Our  regret  is  that 
we  have  done  so  little  ;  our  glory,  that  he  has  so  abundantly 
blessed  our  feeble  efforts  ;  our  purpose  is  to  do  more  to  fulfill 
his  command  and  to  let  all  men  know  of  his  love. 

R.   J.   WiLLINGHAM. 


XV 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  HOME  MISSION  WORK 


PART  I 

THE  AMERICAN  BAPTIST  HOME  MISSION  SOCIETY 
1832-1900 

American  Baptists  awoke  to  the  need  of  a  general  home 
mission  society  in  1832.  They  had  a  general  organization 
for  foreign  missions,  but  for  home  missions  there  was  none. 
Two  or  three  Eastern  societies  or  Conventions,  in  addition 
to  their  own  work,  had  been  doing  a  httle  for  the  evangeh'za- 
tion  of  the  West. 

"A  voice  crying  in  the  wilderness"  for  such  an  organiza- 
tion had  been  heard  for  several  years.  It  was  that  of  the 
rugged  Baptist,  Rev.  John  M.  Peck,  who  in  181 7,  with  his 
wife  and  three  small  children,  journeyed  in  a  one-horse 
wagon  1,200  miles  from  Connecticut  to  St.  Louis  as  a  mis- 
sionary of  the  Triennial  Convention.  It  rang  through  New 
England  as  he  returned  after  nine  years'  service.  Rev. 
Jonathan  Going  and  others,  of  Massachusetts,  were  aroused  ; 
he  visited  the  West,  with  Mr.  Peck  drafted  a  plan  for  a  so- 
ciety, and  secured  the  approval  of  others  ;  a  provisional  com- 
mittee was  appointed  in  1831  to  call  a  convention,  which  met 
in  New  York  City,  where,  April  27,  1832,  with  great  una- 
nimity, the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  was 
organized,  "  to  promote  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  in  North 
America."  During  its  entire  history  its  headquarters  have 
been  in  New  York  City. 

There  are  three  fairly  distinctive  periods  in  the  society's 
history  :  the  first,  from  1832-1862  ;  the  second,  from  1862- 
1879  ;  the  third,  from  18 79-1 900. 

I.    THE    FIRST    PERIOD,    1832-1862. 

Most  fitting  was  it  that  Doctor  Going,  a  man  of  remarkable 
power,  should   be  made  helmsman  or  corresponding  secre- 
tary.     Officially  associated  with  him  were  many  of  the  fore- 
most men  of  the  denomination.      For  five  years  he  wrought, 
204 


AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    .SOCIETV         205 

until,  feeling  that  the  society  was  on  a  sure  basis,  he  took  the 
presidency  of  Granville  College,  Ohio,  where  he  died  in  1844, 
aged  fifty-nine  years.  For  two  years  Rev.  Luther  Crawford 
succeeded  him  until  his  death  in  1839,  when  Rev.  Benjamin 
M.  Hill  was  elected,  serving  from  1840  until  1862,  dying  in 
1881,  aged  eighty-seven.  During  his  administration  great 
difficulties  were  encountered  in  the  anti-slavery  agitation, 
which  resulted  in  the  withdrawal  of  Southern  Baptists  in 
1845,  in  the  Bible  Society  controversy,  in  the  two  panics  of 
1837  and  1857,  and  the  culminating  troubles  of  the  Civil 
War  in  1861.  With  great  ability,  patience,  and  prudence  he 
piloted  the  ship  through  these  stormy  seas. 

To  the  West  the  society's  face  was  first  turned  ;  for  its 
evangelization,  clarion  appeals  were  made.  Needs  were 
great.  Where  were  the  requisite  resources  for  its  occupation? 
Among  the  385,000  Baptists  in  the  United  States  in  1832 
there  were  few  wealthy  men  and  few  strong  churches.  About 
140,000  Baptists  in  New  England,  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
and  Pennsylvania  constituted  the  chief  reliance  of  the  society. 
West  of  New  York  there  were  about  32,000  who  were  weak, 
widely  scattered,  and  in  the  incipient  stages  of  organized 
activity.  The  society  had  to  make  a  place  for  itself  in  the 
benefactions  of  the  churches,  most  of  which  had  never  heard 
the  now  famihar  words,  "systematic  beneficence."  Re- 
ceipts the  first  year  were  ^6,586.73  ;  four  years  later,  $16,- 
910.85  ;  $20,000  for  the  first  time  in  1847  ;  reaching  the 
highest  point  of  this  period  in  1853,  ^56,381.08  ;  thence 
falling  to  $31,144.28  in  1862. 

The  first  yea-r  fifty  missionaries  were  laboring  in  twelve 
States  and  in  Canada,  thirty-seven  in  Western  fields,  a 
number  in  several  Southern  States.  Five  years  later  there 
were  103  ;  in  1847,  136  ;  in  1854  the  highest  number,  175  ; 
dropping  to  eighty-four  in  1862. 

Particular  emphasis  was  laid  upon  the  early  occupation  of 
important  centers  hke  Cleveland,  Indianapohs,  Louisville, 
St.  Louis,  Detroit,  Kalamazoo,  and  Chicago,  to  which  mis- 
sionaries were  appointed  within  the  first  two  years. 

Exploring  and  itinerant  missionaries  traversed  whole  States 
and  Territories  by  most  primitive  methods.  In  Minnesota, 
Rev.  Amory  Gale,  during  sixteen  years  of  pioneer  work, 
traveled  more  than  100,000  miles,  much  of  it  with  Indian 
ponies,  and  that  too  v/hile  a  great  asthmatic  sufferer,  frequently 
sleeping  under  his  wagon,  fighting  wolves,  in  perils  of  Indians, 
a  Christian  hero  who  joyously  endured  hardness  for  Christ. 
Revs.    Ezra  Fisher  and   Hezekiah   Johnson,   in   1845  made 


206  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    WORK 

their  tedious  overland  trip  of  seven  and  a  half  months  to 
Oregon,  where  in  their  missionary  service  they  endured  great 
privations.  Upon  the  acquisition  of  California  and  before 
the  discovery  of  gold  was  known  in  the  East,  the  society  in 
1848  sent  thither  Rev.  O.  C.  Wheeler,  who,  arriving  early 
in  1849,  erected  the  first  Protestant  meeting-house  in  that 
State,  while  another  laborer  in  1849  went  to  New  Mexico. 
Into  Nevada  in  1857,  into  Colorado  in  1859  and  i860,  into 
Montana  in  1861,  poured  surging,  turbid  tides  of  humanity 
eager  for  riches.  Thither,  as  soon  as  practicable,  the  so- 
ciety's missionaries  went,  batthng  manfully  for  Christ. 

As  auxiliary  to  its  Western  missionary  work,  the  society  in 
1854  made  a  beginning  in  church  edifice  work,  during  the 
next  eight  years  securing  for  this  purpose  about  ^12,000, 
with  which,  by  1862,  nineteen  churches  were  aided  in  erect- 
ing houses  of  worship,  others  being  aided  subsequently  from 
this  fund.  A  well-defined  plan  for  a  loan  fund  was  adopted 
in  1862,  but  its  execution  was  arrested  by  the  war. 

A  new  mission  field  was  soon  presented  among  the  foreign 
populations.  Immigration,  which  for  years  prior  to  1820  was 
a  rivulet  of  8,000  arrivals  annually,  swelled  to  100,000  in 
1842,  to  428,000  in  1847,  and  in  the  next  seven  years  to 
2,250,000.  Missions  to  the  Welsh  began  in  1836,  to  the 
Germans  in  1846,  to  the  Scandinavians  in  1848,  to  the 
French  Canadians  in  co-operation  with  the  Grande  Ligne 
Mission  in  1849,  and  to  this  people  in  the  United  States  in 
1853.  As  early  as  1852,  and  for  years,  unavailing  efforts 
were  made  to  secure  a  Chinese  missionary  for  the  Chinese  in 
California,  who  first  arrived  in  1849.  Receipts  for  these 
thirty  years  were  ^795,259.82;  the  whole  number  of  mis- 
sionaries appointed  was  2,947,  whose  services  aggregated 
2,398  years,  and  who  reported  1,242  churches  organized  and 
27,911  persons  baptized. 

The  period  closed  in  the  gloom  and  carnage  and  distrac- 
tions of  the  Civil  War,  with  strong  expressions  of  the  society's 
faith  in  the  ultimate  issue  and  with  the  girding  of  itselt  for 
future  tasks  which  it  faintly  foresaw. 

II,    THE   SECOND    PERIOD,    1862-1879. 

From  1862,  new  mission  fields,  new  men  at  the  helm,  and 
new  measures  are  to  be  considered. 

In  the  seventeen  years  of  this  period  there  were  five  cor- 
responding secretaries,  three  of  whom,  however,  served  awhile 
together.  These  were  Dr.  Jay  S.  Backus,  1862-18 74  ;  Dr. 
James  B,  Simmons,  1S67-1874  ;  Dr.  E.  E.  L.  Taylor,  1869- 


AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    SOCIETY         20/ 

1874;  Nathan  Bishop,  ll.  d.,  1874-1876;  Dr.  S.  S.  Cutting, 
1876-1879. 

The  disastrous  effects  of  the  war  seriously  embarrassed  the 
society,  receipts  in  1863  being  only  $32,095.30.  In  1862  it 
adopted  the  district  secretaryship  system  for  more  systematic 
cultivation  of  the  churches.  In  1865  $94,403.17  was  re- 
ported. In  1866  the  hundred  thousand  dollar  mark  was 
passed  ;  returning  prosperity,  an  inflated  currency,  and  spe- 
cial efforts  for  the  Freedmen  and  the  Church  Edifice  Fund 
carried  receipts  in  1874  to  the  pinnacle  of  $221,272.97  ; 
whence  the  panic,  changes  in  secretaryships,  and  discontinu- 
ance of  co-operation  with  several  State  Conventions,  precipi- 
tated the  society  into  the  pit  where  in  1879  actual  receipts 
were  only  $115,083.38. 

In  1862  there  was  a  sudden  change  of  emphasis  in  the 
society's  work.  In  January  the  Executive  Board  sent  a  com- 
mittee South  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of  the  fugitive 
slaves  within  the  Union  lines.  The  story  of  their  needs  was 
appalling.  In  May  the  society  itself  directed  that  mission- 
aries and  teachers  be  sent  thither  ;  in  June  several  eminent 
brethren  were  appointed.  By  1864  there  were  workers  in 
seven  Southern  States.  In  1865,  at  St.  Louis,  a  month  after 
the  close  of  the  war,  vigorous  action  was  taken  for  the  effi- 
cient cultivation  of  this  new  field.  From  1864  to  1869  "The 
National  Theological  Institute"  was  a  rival  claimant  for  de- 
nominational support  in  this  field,  but  in  1869  retired  in  favor 
of  the  society.  In  1874  eight  schools,  some  of  them  with 
quite  valuable  properties,  were  in  operation.  Instruction  of 
the  illiterate  multitudes  at  first  was  in  the  simplest  rudiments. 
Special  attention  was  given  to  the  education  of  ministers  for 
Negro  congregations  which  had  withdrawn  from  white 
churches.  Along  with  this  was  the  training  of  colored  teachers 
for  the  common  schools  which  for  the  first  time  were  estab- 
lished in  most  of  the  Southern  States  after  the  war.  In  1879 
forty-four  teachers  and  1,041  pupils  were  enrolled  in  these 
institutions. 

Highly  educated,  heroic,  consecrated  men  and  women 
offered  themselves  for  this  pioneer  service.  Conspicuous 
among  these  were  Henry  Martyn  Tupper,  of  Shaw  Univer- 
sity ;  Charles  H.  Corey,  of  Richmond  Theological  Seminary  ; 
D.  W.  Phillips,  of  Roger  Williams  University  ;  G.  M.  R  King, 
of  Wayland  College,  whose  whole  lives  were  laid  on  this  altar 
of  service  for  Christ. 

This  entrance  of  the  society  into  the  territory  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention  was  at  first  regarded  with  de- 


208  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    WORK 

cided  disfavor  by  many  Southern  Baptists.  Its  missionaries 
found  few  among  the  whites  to  welcome  or  help  them.  At 
length,  as  a  result  of  overtures  by  the  society  for  their  friendly 
co-operation,  they  expressed  their  general  approval  of  the 
work  which  they  were  financially  unable  to  do.  In  1867  the 
society  took  the  initiative  for  the  resumption  of  fraternal  rela- 
tions, broken  off  in  1845,  by  appointing  messengers  to  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention  in  1868  ;  that  body  sending  a 
like  committee  to  the  annual  meeting  of  the  society  soon 
after,  when  Doctor  Jeter  declared  that  they  had  come  "to 
bury  the  tomahawk  forever,"  and  that,  "in  some  way.  Bap- 
tists of  the  North  and  South  must  come  together  and  work 
together. ' ' 

In  1877  the  society,  after  conferring  with  representatives 
of  the  Home  Mission  Board  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion, concerning  co-operative  work  in  the  form  of  ministers' 
institutes  for  colored  preachers,  appointed  a  superintendent 
thereof,  Dr.  S.  W.  Marston,  of  Missouri,  who  was  continued 
for  several  years,  Southern  Baptists  assisting  in  the  institutes, 
but  assuming  no  financial  responsibility  therefor. 

The  relinquishment  by  the  Missionary  Union  in  1865  of 
its  Indian  missions  to  the  Home  Mission  Society,  opened  an- 
other new  field  of  effort.  At  once  Dr.  E.  E.  L.  Taylor  was 
appointed  "Associate  Corresponding  Secretary  for  the  Indian 
Department"  ;  missions  among  the  Cherokees  and  others 
that  had  been  shattered  by  the  war  were  reorganized,  rehabil- 
itated, and  strengthened,  decided  progress  being  made  dur- 
ing this  period. 

From  another  quarter  a  new  call  came  in  1869  with  a 
resounding  clang.  The  doors  of  opportunity  swung  wide  open 
in  Mexico.  The  republic,  after  a  bitter  fight  with  Romanism, 
reduced  it  to  subjection  and  gave  religious  liberty  to  all. 
Seed  sown  by  a  Baptist  minister  in  1862  had  borne  fruit  in 
several  companies  of  believers  in  Nuevo  Leon.  The  Mace- 
donian cry  of  Rev.  T.  M.  Westrup  could  not  be  disregarded. 
He  and  others  were  appointed  and  sustained  until  1873, 
when  retrenchment  was  inevitable  and  aid  for  several  years 
was  withdrawn. 

The  same  year  a  missionary  was  appointed  to  the  Chinese 
of  San  Francisco,  where  in  1870  there  were  six  Chinese  Sun- 
day-schools, with  about  250  pupils,  while  thousands  of  this 
people  heard  the  gospel  in  their  own  tongue.  Prosperous 
missions  were  also  maintained  in  Oakland,  and  in  Portland, 
Oregon.  The  violent  anti-Chinese  agitation  caused  a  tem- 
porary suspension  of  the  San  Francisco  mission  in  187S. 


AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    SOCIETY         2O9 

The  same  year,  1869,  was  memorable  also  in  home  mis- 
sion annals,  because  of  the  completion  of  the  first  transconti- 
nental railway,  which,  together  with  other  railway  projects, 
gave  a  great  impetus  to  the  settlement  of  the  West.  This 
was  further  accelerated  by  the  homestead  law  of  1862,  by  the 
opening  of  Indian  reservations,  and  by  the  exploitation  of  the 
West  by  railway  companies  that  had  lands  for  sale.  Enormous 
pressure  was  put  upon  the  society  in  its  Western  work.  To 
Colorado  in  1862,  to  Nevada  in  1863,  to  Dakota  and  Idaho 
in  1864,  to  Wyoming  in  1870,  to  Utah  and  Montana  in  1871 
its  missionaries  were  sent,  while  large  reinforcements  were 
thrown  into  Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  Iowa,  Nebraska,  and  Kan- 
sas, 217  laborers  being  reported  in  Western  fields  in  1874. 

Accompanying  the  demand  for  more  missionaries  was  that 
for  aid  in  building  meeting-houses.  "  Better  send  one  mis- 
sionary with  his  house  than  two  without  it."  The  project 
of  a  Church  Edifice  Loan  Fund  was  revived,  and  in  1869 
Doctor  Taylor  was  made  corresponding  secretary  of  the  new 
department,  for  which  by  1875  about  $275,000  was  secured. 
Between  1862  and  1879,  333  churches,  chiefly  in  the  West, 
were  aided  thereby. 

In  the  East  also  there  were  increased  demands  upon  the 
society.  The  foreign  element  was  augmented  by  nearly 
5,000,000  arrivals  during  this  period.  The  existence  of  100 
German  Baptist  churches  with  7,300  members  in  1876,  and 
fully  100  Scandinavian  churches  with  about  6,500  members 
in  1879,  was  very  encouraging  for  enlarged  effort  among 
them.  In  1869  began  the  evangelization  of  the  throngs  of 
French  Canadians  pouring  into  New  England. 

New  factors  in  home  missions  appeared  during  the  clos- 
ing years  of  this  period.  In  1873  the  Women's  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society  of  Michigan  was  organized  to  aid  in 
caring  for  destitute  locaUties  in  the  State  and  to  assist  the 
general  society  in  its  educational  work  for  the  colored  people. 
In  February,  1877,  was  organized  The  Women's  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society  of  Chicago,  on  an  entirely  independ- 
ent basis.  In  November,  1877,  The  Women's  American 
Baptist  Flome  Mission  Society  was  organized  in  Boston, 
with  the  purpose  of  becoming  auxiliary  to  the  general  society. 
An  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  in  1879-1880  to  combine 
these  in  one  organization.  Further  references  to  them  and 
their  work  appear  in  the  ensuing  period. 

All  in  all  this  was  a  remarkable  period  in  the  history  of  the 
society  and  of  home  missions,  in  which  receipts  aggregated 
$2,472,582.22,  whereby  4,827  missionaries  were  appointed, 

o 


2IO  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    WORK 

among  ten  nationalities,  in  thirty-seven  States  and  Territories 
and  in  Mexico,  who  reported  1,395  churches  organized  and 
55,861  persons  baptized. 

III.    THE    THIRD    PERIOD,     1879-190O. 

In  the  third  period  of  twenty-one  years  the  society's  opera- 
tions attained  to  unprecedented  proportions.  From  1879 
until  his  resignation  in  1893,  Henry  L.  Morehouse,  D.  D. , 
was  corresponding  secretary,  thereafter  continuing  in  the 
new  position  of  field  secretary.  He  was  succeeded  by  the 
present  incumbent,  T.  J.  Morgan,  d.  d.,  ll.  d. 

The  improving  material  condition  of  the  country  at  the 
beginning  of  this  period  and  the  quickening  impulse  of  the 
great  Jubilee  Meeting  in  New  York  City  in  1882,  encouraged 
the  society  to  launch  out  in  larger  undertakings. 

An  advanced  step  was  taken  in  the  estabUshment  of  the 
Church  Edifice  Gift  Fund  in  1881,  about  $100,000  being 
transferred  by  consent  of  the  donors  from  the  Loan  Fund  for 
a  permanent  gift  fund,  of  which  the  income  alone  should  be 
used.  Within  four  years  over  $100,000  was  also  secured  for 
gifts  outright  to  churches.  The  number  of  churches  aided  by 
gifts  and  loans  rose  rapidly  to  sixty-six  in  1882,  to  ninety- 
seven  in  1883,  to  107  in  1884,  to  113  in  1885.  This  fund 
thenceforth  became  the  right  arm  of  the  society  in  Western 
missions.  In  several  Western  States  and  Territories  nearly 
every  church  edifice  of  much  value  has  been  erected  by  the 
society's  aid. 

Westward  afresh  swept  the  tides  of  population  with  the 
opening  of  about  50,000,000  acres  of  Indian  reservations  in 
Dakota,  Colorado,  and  elsewhere  to  settlers,  with  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railway  in  1883,  and  of  the 
Southern  Pacific,  together  with  the  extension  of  many  other 
lines  about  that  time.  In  advance  of,  along  with,  and  after 
the  construction  of  railways,  the  society's  pioneer  mission- 
aries went,  working  so  well  that,  for  instance,  at  the  comple- 
tion of  the  Northern  Pacific  Road  there  were  twenty  Baptist 
churches  and  fourteen  meeting-houses  between  Lake  Supe- 
rior and  Puget  Sound,  nearly  all  of  which  had  received  mis- 
sionary and  church  edifice  aid.  The  society  occupied  Ari- 
zona in  1879  and  re-occupied  Utah  in  1881,  in  three  years 
expending  there  about  $20,000  in  church  edifice  work  ;  for 
about  fifteen  years  it  generously  aided  the  Baptists  of  British 
Columbia,  contiguous  to  our  fields  and  remote  from  the 
Eastern  provinces  of  Canada,  and  everywhere  lengthened 
its  cords  and  strengthened  its  stakes  throughout  the  West. 


AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    SOCIETY         211 

Quickly,  after  the  mighty  rush  of  population  into  Oklahoma 
in  1889,  and  into  the  Cherokee  Strip  in  1893,  its  workers 
went  thither.  By  1900,  $68,703.33  had  been  expended  for 
missionary  purposes,  forty-five  churches  had  thus  been  aided, 
and  thirty  churches,  mostly  at  prominent  points,  helped  in 
the  erection  of  houses  of  worship  by  grants  amounting  to 
$14,038.91. 

A  new  plan  of  co-operation,  differing  from  the  unsatis- 
factory former  plan  that  terminated  in  1874,  beginning  ex- 
perimentally in  1878,  became  general,  with  modifications, 
between  the  society  and  Western  State  Conventions.  It  has 
been  of  great  value  to  both  and  to  the  work  at  large.  Con- 
ditions soon  required  wise  and  closer  supervision,  hence, 
in  1882,  William  M.  Haigh,  D.  D. ,  of  Chicago,  was  made 
superintendent  of  missions  for  several  of  the  older  Western 
States  ;  then  Dr.  H.  C.  Woods,  for  several  of  the  trans-Mis- 
sissippi States  and  Territories  ;  after  his  transfer  to  the  Pacific 
Coast  division  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  N.  B.  Rairden, 
D.  D. ;  and  after  Dr.  Wood's  death,  by  Dr.  C.  A.  Wooddy  for 
the  coast. 

Mexico  was  reoccupied  in  1881,  the  City  of  Mexico  was 
occupied  in  1883  ;  about  $27,000  was  soon  expended  for 
mission  properties  in  that  city  and  Monterey.  In  1900, 
twelve  missionaries,  seven  teachers,  and  a  church-member- 
ship of  about  800  was  reported. 

Chinese  missions  in  California  were  resumed  in  1885,  when 
the  Home  Mission  Board  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention 
discontinued  its  work  there,  which  had  been  carried  on  for 
several  years  through  returned  missionaries  from  China. 
Mission  headquarters  costing  about  $20,000  were  secured  in 
San  Francisco  in  1888  ;  and  in  1894,  eighteen  mission  stations 
were  reported  on  the  coast.  Also  in  Chicago  since  1891,  and 
in  New  York  City  since  1893,  efficient  missions  have  been 
maintained  for  the  Chinese. 

From  1887  work  was  begun  successively  among  tlie  Bo- 
hemians, Poles,  Portuguese,  Finns,  Italians,  Jews,  Hollanders, 
and  Japanese.  Continued  prosperity  characterized  the  work 
among  the  German  and  Scandinavians  ;  the  German  Baptist 
churches  in  1900  numbering  240,  with  22,291  members;  and 
the  Scandinavian  Baptists  about  23,000,  the  latter  consti- 
tuting in  Minnesota  nearly  one-third  of  the  entire  Baptist 
strength.  The  Swedish  Baptists  number  18,000.  The  whole 
number  of  Baptists  in  these  foreign-speaking  churches  is  about 
52,000,  besides  thousands  who  have  become  identified  with 
American  churches — a  large  harvest  gathered  chiefly  in  the 


212  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    WORK 

last  thirty  years.  Among  them  275  missionaries  were  reported 
in  1900.  Even  in  New  England  there  were  thirty-eight  mis- 
sionaries among  six  nationalities.  The  brunt  of  the  battle 
in  this  quarter  has  been  borne  by  the  society,  for  the  South 
has  had  but  a  small  fraction  of  the  foreign  element,  about 
ninety-seven  per  cent,  going  into  the  North  and  West. 

In  educational  matters  for  the  colored  people  there  has 
been  great  advance.  The  number  of  schools  and  of  pupils 
therein  increased  about  four-fold.  In  1882  Dr.  John  M. 
Gregory  was  appointed  and  served  as  superintendent  of 
education  for  two  years.  Rev,  Malcolm  MacVicar,  ll.  d., 
was  superintendent  from  1890  until  1900,  when  he  became 
president  of  Virginia  Union  University. 

The  faculties  of  institutions  were  strengthened,  their  equip- 
ment and  their  courses  of  study  improved,  and  the  work 
throughout  conducted  according  to  approved  modern  meth- 
ods. Of  the  251  teachers  employed,  124  are  colored;  lead- 
ing colored  men  are  also  on  Boards  of  Trustees  of  incorpor- 
ated institutions.  Co-education  is  the  rule  in  these  schools. 
There  are,  however,  two  flourishing  schools  exclusively  for 
women,  viz.  Hartshorn  College,  at  Richmond,  Va. ,  and  Spel- 
man  Seminary,  Atlanta,  Ga.  A  law  school  and  a  thorough 
medical  school  have  been  developed  at  Shaw  University, 
N.  C.  Industrial  education  has  had  considerable  attention 
in  several  institutions,  and  nurse  training  and  missionary 
training  schools  have  been  established.  There  are  normal 
training  courses  for  teachers  ;  in  all  the  higher  institutions 
ministerial  instruction  is  imparted  ;  while  the  Richmond  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  Virginia,  is  the  high-grade  school  for  ad- 
vanced students  for  the  ministry.  Thirteen  secondary  insti- 
tutions, most  of  which  were  started  and  are  managed  by 
colored  Baptists,  have  been  adopted  and  receive  the  society's 
supervision  and  aid. 

Expenditures  for  this  pupose,  which  until  1880  had  aggre- 
gated altogether  less  than  $440,000,  soon  exceeded  $100,000 
annually,  and  for  the  period  amounted  to  $2,600,000.  In 
addition  to  this,  endowment  funds  were  increased  from  $21,- 
993.90  in  1879  to  $284,352.11,  besides  $115,000  to  Leland 
University,  Louisiana,  which  has  become  self-supporting. 
Benedict  College,  at  Columbia,  S.  C,  approaches  self-support 
through  the  gifts  and  bequests  of  Mrs.  B.  A.  Benedict, 
amounting  to  about  $100,000.  An  endowment  of  at  least 
$2,000,000  is  needed  for  the  maintenance  of  these  schools. 
Much  attention  has  been  given  to  constructive  missionary  work 
for  the  Negro  Baptists  of  the  South  ;  by  co-operating  with  their 


AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    SOCIETY         213 

State  Conventions  ;  by  the  appointment  in  1887  of  a  colored 
man  of  marked  ability,  W.  J.  Simmons,  D.  d.,  as  district  sec- 
retary;  and,  since  the  Fortress  Monroe  Conference,  in  1894 
between  representatives  of  the  society  and  the  Home  Mission 
Board  of  Atlanta,  by  co-operative  effort  with  that  Board  and 
with  the  white  and  the  colored  Baptist  Conventions  of  several 
States. 

No  less  marked,  relatively,  has  been  the  development  in 
our  Indian  work.  A  school  started  at  Tahlequah,  I.  T.,  in 
1880  has  grown  into  Indian  University,  near  Muskogee,  with 
Its  large  campus,  fine  buildings,  and  excellent  reputation  • 
secondary  schools  are  maintained  at  Tahlecpiah  in  the  Chero- 
kee Nation,  at  Atoka  in  the  Choctaw  Nation,  and  at  the 
Wichita  Agency;  while  the  school  maintained  for  years 
among  the  Seminoles  has  been  amply  provided  for  by  that 
nation  out  of  its  government  funds.  A  number  of  chapels 
for  the  Indians  have  also  been  built  by  the  society's  aid. 
Among  the  Kiowas,  since  1893,  when  they  granted  con- 
cessions for  mission  property,  several  chiefs  and  about  200 
in  all  have  become  members  of  two  Baptist  churches,  and  the 
whole  tribe  is  taking  on  the  customs  of  a  Christian  civilization. 
The  Arapahoes,  Cheyennes,  Comanches,  and  Caddoes  are 
likewise,  though  not  so  largely,  turning  to  Christ.  Among 
the  civilized  Indians  most  has  been  done  for  the  Cherokees 
and  the  Delawares,  but  much  also  for  the  Creeks,  Choctaws, 
Sacs  and  Foxes,  Seminoles,  and  lesser  tribes.  The  whole 
number  of  Baptists  in  the  Indian  churches  of  Indian  and 
Oklahoma  Territories  is  about  4,300. 

To  Alaska,  missionaries  were  appointed  in  1886-1887  with 
headquarters  at  Kodiak  Island.  Out  of  this  has  grown  a  mis- 
sion and  an  orphanage,  supported  by  the  Woman's  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  The  rush  to  the  Klondike 
in  1897  led  to  the  occupation  of  Skagway,  in  1898,  the  or- 
ganization of  the  northernmost  white  Baptist  church  in 
America,  and  the  erection  of  a  good  house  of  worship  there 
in  1899. 

The  evangehzation  of  our  great  cities  engaged  the  society's 
special  attention  in  1893,  resulting  in  a  plan  of  co-operation 
with  city  mission  societies  which  was  first  put  into  execution 
in  Chicago  in  1898  and  subsequently  in  Detroit  and  Buffalo, 
its  wider  extension  being  prevented  by  lack  of  resources. 

The  opening  of  Cuba  and  Porto  Rico  imposed  new  obliga- 
tions upon  American  Baptists.  An  agreement  was  reach*ed 
in  the  fall  of  1898  between  the  Home  Mission  Society  and 
the  Home  Mission  Board  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention, 


214  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    WORK 

whereby  Porto  Rico  and  the  two  eastern  provinces  of  Cuba 
were  taken  by  the  former  and  the  four  western  provinces  of 
Cuba,  by  the  latter.  Early  in  1899  two  experienced  mission- 
aries, formerly  in  Mexico,  were  sent  to  Santiago,  Cuba,  and 
to  San  Juan,  Porto  Rico.  These  were  soon  reinforced  by 
others  ;  a  number  of  stations  were  occupied,  valuable  church 
property  was  secured,  and  large  and  deeply  interested  con- 
gregations were  gathered  to  hear  the  unheard-of  story  of  sal- 
vation through  Christ  alone.  Baptisms  were  frequent,  and 
within  about  a  year  there  were  six  churches  with  about  400 
members  in  both  islands.  It  was  a  striking  providence  that 
gave  the  Society  just  when  urgently  needed,  seven  capable 
Spanish-speaking  missionaries  for  these  needy  fields — "  Cath- 
olic countries  without  religion." 

Women's  Home  Mission  Societies  have  borne  an  honorable 
part  in  the  enlarged  activities  of  recent  years.  The  Women's 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  maintains  a  missionary  training 
school  in  Chicago  and  in  1900  reported  149  laborers  during 
the  whole  or  part  of  the  year  in  thirty-five  States  and  Terri- 
tories and  in  Mexico.  Receipts  from  contributions,  etc., 
were  ;^69,9i9.o9.  While  this  society  is  not  auxiliary  to  the 
parent  society,  yet  to  some  extent  it  co-operates  with  the 
latter  and  with  several  Western  State  Conventions.  In  con- 
nection with  institutions  for  the  Negroes  it  maintains  two 
missionary  training  schools  for  women.  Its  educational  mis- 
sionary work  is  hmited  chiefly  to  these  and  to  the  appointment 
of  matrons  in  several  schools  for  the  Negroes  and  the  Indians. 

The  Women's  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  of 
Boston,  Mass.,  maintains  in  general  close  auxiliary  relations 
with  the  parent  society.  Its  distinctive,  though  not  ex- 
clusive, work  is  educational,  for  the  Negroes,  Indians,  and 
Mexicans.  Spelman  Seminary,  of  Atlanta,  Ga. ,  the  largest 
and  best  equipped  school  in  the  world  for  colored  young 
women,  has  had  its  generous  support.  In  1900  it  reported 
fifty-seven  laborers  and  ^35,558  in  receipts. 

In  the  strenuous  endeavor  of  this  period  expenditures  some- 
times outran  receipts.  By  1886  a  debt  of  $123,428.93  had 
accumulated.  Within  three  months,  by  the  large  gifts  of  a 
few  and  the  smaller  gifts  of  many,  it  was  provided  for.  Again 
in  1897,  because  of  hard  times,  falling  off  in  legacies,  and  the 
difficulty  of  making  retrenchment,  an  alarming  debt  of  $190,- 
181.82  appeared.  The  Missionary  Union's  debt  was  $303,- 
307.56.  Both  societies  made  common  cause  for  their  pay- 
ment, and  for  this  purpose,  with  the  munificent  offer  of 
$250,000  by  Mr.  John  D,  Rockefeller,  soonsecured  $500,000. 


AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    SOCIETY         21  5 

The  marked  progress  during  this  period  is  shown  by  the 
following  statements:  The  receipts  of  1880,  $160,588.27, 
were  more  than  doubled  in  three  years  and  went  by  leaps  and 
bounds  to  $552,503.47  in  1887  ;  the  total  for  the  first  eleven 
yearsbeing$4,2o6,5i3. 14,  and  for  the  last  ten,  $4,905,230.31, 
making  a  grand  total  of  $9,111,744.01  (less  about  $300,000 
of  annuity  funds  reckoned  twice).  This  is  nearly  three  times 
the  amount  received  in  the  previous  forty-seven  years.  This 
increase  was  due  in  part  to  large  legacies,  amounting  to 
$1,985,459.83  ;  in  part  to  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the 
denomination  ;  to  more  diligent  cultivation  of  the  churches 
in  the  interests  of  home  missions  ;  and  to  the  imperative  neces- 
sity of  enlargement  to  keep  pace  with  the  development  of  the 
country.  Included  in  the  foregoing  is  the  increase  in  perma- 
nent funds  for  missions  and  education,  from  $55,615.28  in 
1879  to  $519,257.01  in  1900;  church  edifice  permanent  funds 
from  $229,633.48  to  $320,826.34  ;  annuity  funds  from  $97,- 
258.91  to  $445,053.97  ;  school  and  mission  property  in  value 
from  $302,879.94  to  $995,265.  The  field  widened  from 
thirty-four  States  and  Territories  to  fifty-four ;  the  laborers 
increased  from  238  to  1,180;  the  nationalities  represented 
from  seven  to  twenty  ;  schools  for  the  colored  people  and 
Indians  from  eight  to  thirty;  the  enrollment  from  1,041  to 
4,848  ;  while  1,617  church  edifices  were  built  by  direct  aid, 
thereby  securing  to  the  denomination  property  valued  at 
$3,500,000,  with  accommodations  for  about  375,000  people. 
The  whole  number  of  missionaries  appointed  was  17,671  ;  of 
churches  organized  2,749  ;  of  baptisms  reported,  80,746. 

GENERAL    REVIEW. 

For  the  sixty-eight  years,  receipts,  in  round  numbers,  have 
been  $12,000,000  ;  the  whole  number  of  commissions  issued, 
24,242  ;  over  16,500  years  of  service  rendered  by  mission- 
aries ;  over  2,000,000  sermons  preached;  nearly  5,500,000 
religious  visits  made  ;  thousands  of  copies  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  millions  of  pages  of  rehgious  literature  distributed  ;  5,387 
churches  and  about  10,000  Sunday-schools  reported  as  organ- 
ized ;  163,518  persons  baptized  and  nearly  as  many  more 
received  by  letter  ;  thirty  Christian  institutions  of  learning 
maintained,  with  an  aggregate  enrollment  of  about  100,000 
pupils  ;  nearly  2,000  church  edifices  erected  ;  operations  ex- 
tending to  every  State  and  Territory  of  the  Union,  five  Cana- 
dian provinces,  six  States  of  the  Republic  of  Mexico,  and  to 
Cuba  and  Porto  Rico.  In  the  West,  directly  and  indirectly, 
it  has  fostered  at  least  ten  Baptist  institutions  of  learning  ; 


2l6  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    WORK 

while  in  1887  it  took  the  initiative  in  measures  that  eventu- 
ated in  the  organization,  the  following  year,  of  the  American 
Baptist  Education  Society. 

In  all  its  mission  fields  it  is  a  strong  constructive,  directive, 
unifying  power ;  aiming  to  evangelize,  energize,  organize, 
mobilize,  and  utilize  our  forces  for  effective  Christian  service. 
It  is  also  instinct  with  the  spirit  of  Christian  patriotism.  Its 
platform  is  popularly  regarded  as  the  forum  from  which,  in  a 
sense,  the  voice  of  the  denomination  has  been  heard  on 
questions  having  important  bearings  upon  the  progress  of 
Christianity  in  our  land.  Its  consecrated  pioneer  mission- 
aries, as  Hving  shuttles  in  the  rattling  loom  of  frontier  life, 
have  woven  into  the  forming  texture  of  Western  civihzation 
the  strong  white  threads  of  gospel  righteousness. 

Through  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  at 
a  minimum  of  machinery  and  expense,  Baptists  do  a  three- 
fold work  that  is  usually  done  by  other  denominations  through 
three  distinct  organizations.  A  Missionary,  Church  Edifice, 
and  Educational  Society,  requiring  ahalf-milhon  dollars  annu- 
ally ;  involving  the  care  of  school  property  valued  at  nearly  a 
million  dollars  ;  and  the  wise  management  of  permanent  and 
conditional  funds  amounting  to  $1,300,000;  and  the  scope 
of  whose  operations  is  continental,  constitutes  a  work  of  great 
variety,  magnitude,  and  complexity. 

Its  field  presents  six  different  soils,  each  requiring  special 
treatment. 

In  the  great  West  social  conditions  were  abnormal. 
Women  were  only  one  in  ten  of  the  population  in  California 
in  1852.  Even  in  1890,  in  eleven  Western  States  and  Terri- 
tories they  were  in  the  minority  by  a  round  half-million. 
Children  were  few.  The  first  attempt  at  a  Baptist  Sunday- 
school  in  San  Francisco  was  crowned  with  the  attendance  of 
seven  adults  and  one  child.  To  make  homogeneous  churches 
out  of  heterogeneous  and  sometimes  antagonistic  elements 
was  no  easy  task. 

Among  the  European  and  French  Canadian  population  are 
encountered  ignorance,  bigotry,  religious  formalism,  ecclesi- 
astical tyranny,  infidelity,  atheism,  and  anarchy.  Much  good 
material,  however,  comes  with  the  bad.  They  must  have  the 
gospel  in  their  own  vernacular. 

The  Asiatic,  with  his  heathen  notions,  his  reverence  for  the 
past,  his  conservatism,  his  transient  residence,  lack  of  family 
life,  and  often  his  antipathy  to  Americans  because  of  abusive 
treatment,  is  nevertheless  responsive  to  Christian  kindness 
and  susceptible  to  the  truth  when  properly  presented. 


AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    SOCIETY         21/ 

The  North  American  Indian,  in  his  native  state  a  pagan, 
a  nomad,  unlettered,  haughty,  taciturn,  smarting  underbred 
and  fancied  wrongs  perpetrated  by  the  whites,  and  occupying 
by  compulsion  islets  of  reservations  in  the  all-encompassing 
Anglo-Saxon  sea,  furnishes  Christianity  an  opportunity  at 
home  of  proving  its  power,  as  it  indeed  has  done,  to  trans- 
form the  savage  into  a  saint. 

The  American  Negro,  emerging  from  bondage  in  a  pitiable 
plight  ;  low,  intellectually  and  morally  ;  under  painful  racial 
limitations  and  encountering  many  obstacles,  presented  a 
unique  problem  to  American  Christianity.  His  progress,  all 
things  considered,  has  been  remarkable.  His  is  doubtless' the 
most  plastic  character  God  ever  gave  any  Christian  people  to 
fashion  for  himself  He  is  imitative,  receptive,  docile,  def- 
erential, communicative,  demonstrative,  and  his  fai'th  is 
anchored  in  answered  prayer  for  deliverance.  The  increase 
of  Negro  Baptists  from  400,000  to  1,800,000  in  a  generation 
is  a  marvel  in  modern  missions.  Hundreds  of  the  foremost 
Baptist  preachers  and  others  among  them  are  from  our  Home 
Mission  schools.  The  preparation  of  this  people  for  their 
duties  here  and  for  the  evangelization  of  Africa  has  justly  been 
termed,  ''the  great  American  work  of  the  age." 

In  Mexico,  Cuba,  and  Porto  Rico  there  is  spiritual  sterihty. 
By  multitudes  in  all  these  lands  the  Romanist  hierarchy  is 
heartily  hated  for  its  bitter  hostility  to  national  struggles  for 
freedom.  Favorable  changes  are  taking  place  because  of  new 
civil  and  rehgious  conditions  and  the  infiltration  of  the  Ameri- 
can spirit.  The  way  of  the  Lord  is  being  prepared  and  the 
word  of  the  Lord  therein  shall  not  return  unto  him  void. 

Before  us  at  the  opening  of  the  twentieth  century  is  a  vast 
and  varied  unfinished  work,  making  large  and  imperative  de- 
mands upon  our  resources  and  energies.  With  a  population 
of  more  than  20,000,000  of  foreign  birth  and  parentage, 
constantly  augmented  by  multitudes  mostly  unevangelized  ; 
with  our  great  cities  surging  with  the  forces  of  evil ;  with 
9,000,000  of  colored  population  sadly  in  need  of  capable  and 
consecrated  Christian  leaders  ;  with  a  quarter  of  a  million 
Indians,  most  of  whom  are  in  spiritual  darkness,  but,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  Kiowas,  evincing  a  surprising  readiness  to  re- 
ceive the  truth  ;  with  Mexico's  13,000,000,  for  whose  evan- 
gelization American  Christians  are  especially  responsible  ; 
with  more  than  two  and  a  half  miUions  suddenly  given  to  us 
in  Cuba  and  Porto  Rico,  recoiling  from  a  corrupt  Romish 
hierarchy  and  hospitable  to  heralds  of  the  gospel ;  with  Alaska 
rich  in  treasure,  being  threaded  with  railways  and  destined  to 


2l8  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    WORK 

have  a  large  population  ;  with  Hawaii  soon  to  be  linked  to 
this  land  by  submarine  cable  and  to  assume  immense  impor- 
tance as  the  naval  rendezvous  in  the  heart  of  the  Pacific  ;  with 
the  vast  West,  wherein  are  giant  forces  of  evil ;  it  is  indis- 
putable that  a  tremendous  task  is  yet  ours  to  win  North 
America  for  Christ.  The  worldwide  influence  of  this  nation, 
suddenly  attained,  is  a  summons  to  us  to  make  it  potent  for 
truth  and  righteousness.  The  signal  blessing  of  God  upon 
our  efforts  hitherto  should  incite  to  more  heroic  effort  hence- 
forth all  who  love  their  fellow-men,  their  native  land,  and 
their  Lord. 

Henry  L.   Morehouse. 


PART  II 

THE  HOME  MISSION  BOARD  OF  THE  SOUTHERN 
BAPTIST  CONVENTION 

The  Southern  Baptist  Convention  was  organized  in  Au- 
gusta, Ga. ,  in  1845.  A  call  for  this  purpose  had  been  made 
by  the  Virginia  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society.  A  large 
number  of  delegates,  representing  churches  in  Maryland, 
District  of  Columbia,  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  South  Caro- 
hna,  Georgia,  Alabama,  Louisiana,  and  Kentucky,  assem- 
bled in  the  house  of  worship  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  and 
continued  in  session  from  the  morning  of  the  eighth  to  the 
evening  of  the  twelfth  of  May.  A  large  committee,  in  which 
every  State  that  had  sent  delegates  was  represented,  was  ap- 
pointed to  draft  a  constitution  for  the  new  organization. 
The  Convention  created  two  Boards,  one  for  Foreign  Mis- 
sions, which  was  located  in  Richmond,  Va. ,  and  the  other 
for  Home  Missions,  located  in  Marion,  Ala. 

It  is  a  significant  fact  that  the  first  instruction  to  the  Home 
Mission  Board  was  given  by  the  Convention  which  organized 
it,  charging  it  "to  take  all  prudent  measures  for  the  religious 
instruction  of  our  colored  population. ' '  How  well  the  Board 
performed  this  duty  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  the 
colored  membership  of  our  churches  increased  from  about 
200,000  in  1845  to  about  400,000  in  i860. 

The  great  changes  which  have  marked  the  history  of  the 
Board  have  synchronized  so  nearly  with  the  decades  of  the 
last  half  century  that  these  may  well  serve  us  in  writing  its 
history.     The  four  years  between  the  beginning  of  the  work 


THE    SOUTHERN    BAPTIST    CONVENTION  219 

of  the  Board  and  [850  are  years  of  organization  and  develop- 
ment. From  1850  to  i860  includes  the  period  of  its  early 
manhood,  when  it  did  effective  work  for  the  Master  From 
i860  to  1870  includes  the  war  period  and  the  days  of  recon- 
struction. The  decade  from  1870  to  1880  was  marked  by 
Uie  pmchnig  poverty  of  our  people  and  was  the  time  of  the 
Board's  lowest  depression.  The  period  from  1880  to  1800 
was  the  tmie  of  revival  and  reorganization,  while  that  from 
1890  to  1900  covers  the  years  of  its  noblest  work 

The  first  session  of  the  Convention  was  held  in  Richmond 
beginning  June  10,  1846.  There  were  present  delegates 
from  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Virginia,  South  Carolina  Mis- 
sissippi Georgia,  Alabama,  Tennessee,  Kentucky,  and  Rev 
J.  L.  Shuck,  missionary  to  China.  The  first  annual  report 
of  the  Home  Mission  Board,  after  narrating  the  difficulties 
and  embarrassment  under  which  it  had  labored,  states  ''that 
but  few  missionaries  have  been  appointed,  that  until  recently 
no  funds  have  been  at  its  disposal,  and  the  prospect  of  se- 
curing them  has  been  exceedingly  gloomy."  The  Board 
had  six  missionaries  under  appointment. 

The  Boards  of  the  Convention  encountered  great  difficul- 
ties m  the  organization  and  prosecution  of  their  work,      llie 
influence  of  the  mission  organizations  with  which  they  had 
been  previously  connected  had  not  reached  the  churches  of 
the  South   to  any  great  extent.      No  meeting  of  either  the 
Home  Mission  Society  or  the  Triennial  Convention  had  ever 
been  held  south  of  Richmond,  hence  the  stimulating  influ- 
ence of  these  large  bodies  had  never  been  felt  by  our  people 
In  the  South  there  were  few  cities  and  large  towns    and  in 
many  of  these  our  Baptist  churches  were  small  in  numbers 
and    undeveloped    as    to  mission  work.      For  example    the 
First,  Second,  Third,  and  Fourth  Baptist  churches,  organized 
m  the  city  of  Washington,  D.  C,  were  each  aided 'by  the 
Home  Mission  Board  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention 
Ihe  Board  did  similar  work  in  Norfolk,  Raleigh,  Columbia 
Atlanta,  Memphis,  Vicksburg,    Natchez,   and  Mobile.      The 
strongest  churches  in  the  Convention  were  to  be  found  in 
Richmond,  Charleston,  and  Augusta. 

The  people,  for  the  most  part,  were  averse  to  the  use  of 
money  in  their  religious  work.  For  two  or  three  generations 
scarcely  a  Baptist  preacher  could  be  found  in  all  our  Southern 
land  who  was  willing  to  receive  a  stated  salary  from  any  of 
our  churches,  nor  were  the  churches  willing  to  accept  the 
services  of  a  minister  who  required  a  stipulated  compensa- 
tion.     Whatever  these  faithful  men  received  for  the  preach- 


220  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    WORK 

ing  of  the  gospel  was  by  voluntary  contribution  of  the  indi- 
vidual members.  Under  such  conditions  it  Avas  exceedingly 
difficult  to  induce  many  of  the  churches  to  make  money 
contributions  to  the  cause  of  missions. 

However,  under  the  wise  and  efficient  management  of 
the  Rev.  Russell  Holman,  corresponding  secretary,  aided 
by  the  services  of  that  invaluable  man.  Rev.  J.  H.  De  Votie, 
the  Board  gradually  developed  the  liberality  of  the  churches, 
and  brought  them  into  active  co-operation  with  it.  In  its 
fourteenth  annual  report  the  Board  shows  receipts,  ^45,- 
778.60,  and  work  as  follows  :  Churches  and  stations,  533  ; 
missionaries  employed,  104 ;  baptisms,  1,667  J  churches 
organized,  twenty-six ;  ministers  ordained,  twenty-four ; 
houses  of  worship  completed,  fifteen  ;  houses  of  worship 
commenced,  twenty-eight. 

A  most  valuable  work  had  been  done  in  many  of  the  cities 
and  large  towns  within  its  territory.  The  Board  reports  the 
following  named  cities  and  principal  towns  as  having  been 
occupied  by  one  or  more  of  its  missionaries  :  Baltimore, 
Washington,  D.  C.  ;  Richmond,  Petersburg,  and  Wheeling 
in  Virginia ;  Newport  in  Kentucky ;  St.  Louis,  Jefferson 
City,  Saint  Joseph,  Hannibal,  and  Louisiana  City  in  Mis- 
souri ;  Helena,  Little  Rock,  and  Fayetteville  in  Arkansas  ; 
Vicksburg,  Natchez,  and  Jackson  in  Mississippi  ;  Memphis, 
Chattanooga,  and  Knoxville  in  Tennessee  ;  Mobile,  Selma, 
and  Livingston  in  Alabama ;  Hendersonville,  Raleigh,  Char- 
lotte, and  Eatonton  in  North  Carolina ;  Sumter,  Granite- 
ville,  Pendleton,  and  Columbia  in  South  Carolina  ;  Darien, 
Thomasville,  Athens,  and  Atlanta  in  Georgia  ;  Tampa,  Hills- 
boro,  and  Pensacola  in  Florida  ;  New  Orleans,  Natchitoches, 
and  Baton  Rouge  in  Louisiana  ;  Galveston,  Houston,  Hunts- 
ville,  and  Austin  in  Texas  ;  and  in  California,  Oakland  and  Sac- 
ramento City.  In  addition  the  Board  had  sustained  numerous 
missionaries  in  the  interior  of  several  of  these  States.  These 
men  by  their  unremitting  labors  had  been  eminently  success- 
ful in  the  estabhshment  of  their  cause  over  wide  districts  of 
their  country.  In  no  State  is  the  value  of  the  work  of  the 
Board  in  these  early  years  more  apparent  than  in  Texas, 
one  of  the  strongest  Baptist  States  within  the  bounds  of  the 
Convention. 

I.    DECADE    FROM    1850-1860. 

Indians.  At  the  time  of  the  formation  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention,  mission  work  among  the  Indians  was 
carried    on    mainly  by  an    organization    called   The   Indian 


THE   SOUTHERN    BAPTIST    CONVENTION  221 

Mission  Association,  which  had  the  seat  of  its  operations  in 
Louisville,  Ky.  This  body  was  supported  mainly  by  the 
Baptists  of  the  South,  and  at  the  meeting  of  the  Convention 
at  Montgomery,  in  1855,  the  proposal  was  made  by  the 
Indian  Mission  Association  to  unite  it  with  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention  and  transfer  its  mission  work  to  the 
Home  Mission  Board.  This  arrangement  was  effected,  and 
since  that  day  mission  work  among  the  Indians  has  been 
under  its  care.  Much  of  the  early  work  of  the  Indian  Mis- 
sion Association  was  done  among  tribes  that  have  either 
ceased  to  exist  or  have  dwindled  into  a  mere  handful.  It 
had  men  stationed  among  the  Indians  who  then  inhabited 
the  territory  now  covered  by  the  States  of  Kansas  and  Ne- 
braska. Flourishing  schools  were  established  among  these 
tribes,  churches  organized,  and  much  good  was  accomplished. 
But  the  resisdess  tide  of  white  emigration  swept  them  away, 
and  now  there  remains  nothing  but  the  name  and  the  mem- 
ory of  this  Christian  work. 

The  greater  part  of  the  work  done  among  the  Indians  by 
the  Home  Mission  Board  has  been  within  the  limits  of  Indian 
Territory.  The  Cherokees,  Creeks,  Choctaws,  Chickasaws, 
and  Seminoles,  and  to  some  extent  the  smaller  tribes  in  the 
western  part  of  the  Territory  and  Kansas,  shared  in  the  ef- 
forts of  the  Board.  So  efficient  were  the  labors  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, and  so  abundant  the  divine  blessings  upon  them, 
that  the  number  of  Baptist  churches  among  these  tribes  com- 
pares favorably  with  the  number  found  in  our  strongest  Baptist 
States.  It  is  not  an  overstatement  to  say  that  in  i860,  just 
before  the  beginning  of  the  war,  there  was  an  average  of  one 
Baptist  church  for  every  thousand  of  Indian  population,  and 
almost  an  average  of  one  Indian  preacher  for  every  church. 
The  Board  had  schools  among  many  of  these  tribes.  It  had 
in  the  Creek  nation  thirteen  missionaries,  fourteen  churches 
with  an  aggregate  membership  of  about  2,000. 

Among  the  Choctaws  it  had  eight  missionaries,  with  a 
church-membership  of  about  450.  There  were  four  mission- 
aries among  the  Cherokees,  among  whom  the  Missionary 
Union  had  a  prosperous  mission  of  six  churches  of  about 
1,300  members,  two  native  preachers,  and  a  school  of  about 
forty  pupils. 

It  is  a  significant  fact  that  no  white  missionary  of  any  de- 
nomination ever  acquired  such  a  knowledge  of  any  one  of  the 
languages  of  the  Indians  as  to  be  able  to  employ  it  in  preaching 
to  them.  The  proposal  to  require  missionaries  to  preach  in 
the  Indian  language  was  discussed  in  the  Convention  at  more 


222  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    WORK 

than  one  of  its  sessions.  The  question  was  referred  to  the 
Board,  but  so  far  as  appears  from  its  reports,  no  action  was 
taken  requiring  its  missionaries  to  preach  in  the  Indian 
tongue. 

II.  DECADE    FROM    1860-1870. 

The  work  of  the  Board,  so  far  as  it  concerned  the  "Domes- 
tic "  and  "Indian"  departments,  was  practically  suspended 
by  the  war.  But  it  soon  recognized  the  importance  of  work 
in  the  Confederate  armies,  and  turned  its  attention  to  the 
camps  and  hospitals.  In  its  report  to  the  Convention  which 
met  in  Augusta,  Ga. ,  in  May,  1863,  the  Board  gives  the 
names  of  twenty-six  army  missionaries  whom  it  had  employed, 
gives  most  encouraging  reports  of  their  labors,  and  makes  a 
stirring  appeal  for  the  enlargement  of  this  work.  The  Con- 
vention heartily  endorsed  the  plans  of  the  Board,  expressed 
the  highest  appreciation  of  the  army  as  a  mission  field,  in- 
structed the  Board  to  enlarge  its  operations  in  the  army  as 
speedily  as  possible  and  made  a  stirring  appeal  to  the  churches 
to  contribute  liberally  of  their  means  and  to  give  up  their 
pastors  for  this  great  work,  urging  that  our  patriotic  soldiers 
deserved  and  should  have  the  services  of  the  ablest  and  best 
preachers  in  the  land.  In  its  next  report  the  Board  shows 
the  employment  of  eighty-nine  army  missionaries  and  a  great 
work  done,  though  it  does  not,  unfortunately,  give  any  sum- 
mary of  the  labors  of  the  missionaries. 

After  the  war,  when  the  State  Boards  were  all  prostrate, 
our  people  impoverished,  and  the  outlook  gloomy  indeed, 
the  indefatigable  secretary,  Dr.  M.  T.  Sumner,  collected  funds 
in  Kentucky,  Maryland,  Missouri,  and  Texas,  and  helped  to 
their  feet  again  some  of  the  most  important  points  in  the 
older  States. 

The  Board  had  nearly  thirty  missionaries  in  Virginia,  occu- 
pying such  important  places  as  Fredericksburg,  Staunton,  Pe- 
tersburg, Lexington,  Warrenton,  Hampton,  Culpeper,  Bristol, 
Williamsburg,  Portsmouth,  Alexandria,  and  others.  It  had 
nine  missionaries  in  North  Carolina,  fourteen  in  Georgia, 
nineteen  in  Alabama,  seven  in  Mississippi,  and  thirteen  in 
Tennessee.  Thus  it  was  seeking  to  heal  the  wounds  of  the 
war-smitten  land  with  leaves  from  the  tree  of  life. 

III.  DECADE    FROM     1870-1880, 

This  decade  covered  the  darkest  period  in  the  history  of  the 
Board.  To  conduct  mission  work  under  conditions  that  existed 
would  have  been  impossible  without  the  help  of  those  States, 


THE    SOUTHERN    BAPTIST    CONVENTION  223 

as  Maryland,  Kentucky,  and  Missouri,  which  had  not  been 
subjected  to  the  disastrous  experiences  of  other  States  in  the 
Convention.  Many  of  their  churches  came  nobly  to  the  help 
of  the  Home  Mission  Board.  Notwithstanding  this  Hberal 
support,  the  Board  became  more  embarrassed  each  succeed- 
ing year,  until  near  the  close  of  this  period  its  indebtedness 
became  almost  equal  to  its  annual  income. 

The  war  was  a  great  disaster  to  the  Indians — greater  even 
than  to  the  whites.  They  had  a  larger  proportion  of  their 
population  under  arms  than  any  State,  North  or  South. 
Their  country  became  a  highway  for  armies  on  both  sides. 
Their  schools  were  disbanded.  Their  churches  were  scat- 
tered. Their  country  was  ravaged.  Many  of  their  church- 
members  became  backsHders  and  abandoned  their  faith.  The 
missionaries  returned  to  aid  them,  however,  and  in  the  past 
twenty-five  years  they  have  made  most  wonderful  progress  in 
their  work  toward  the  elevation  of  a  Christian  civihzation. 

During  this  period  most  of  the  Negro  members  of  the 
churches  composed  of  individuals  of  both  races  withdrew  and 
formed  churches  of  their  own.  This  division  was  effected 
without  disturbance  or  complaint.  In  most  cases  the  Negroes 
made  no  claim  to  the  houses  of  worship,  and  everywhere  the 
white  people  aided  them  liberally  in  erecting  houses  suited  to 
their  wants. 

Little  mission  work  was  done  among  them.  The  white 
people  could  not  be  persuaded  to  do  much  for  the  Negroes 
when  so  many  thousands  of  their  own  race  were  so  greatly  in 
need  of  help  to  supply  both  their  temporal  and  spiritual  neces- 
sities. They  soon  supplied  themselves  with  preachers  of  their 
own  race  who  rejoiced  in  the  privilege  of  preaching,  and  who 
were  reluctant  to  invite  others,  and  especially  white  preachers, 
to  minister  to  their  people. 

IV.     DECADE    FROM     1880-189O. 

In  1882  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  which  assembled 
in  Greenville,  S.  C,  removed  the  Board  from  Marion,  Ala., 
to  Atlanta,  Ga.  The  condition  of  the  Board  excited  the 
gravest  apprehensions.  Its  receipts  from  the  churches  were 
less  than  $20,000.  It  had  not  more  than  forty  missionaries 
outside  of  the  Indian  Territory,  and  it  had  but  four  west  of 
the  Mississippi  River. 

The  Baptist  Convention  in  Arkansas  was  in  co-operation 
with  the  Home  Mission  Society  of  New  York.  Nothing  had 
been  attempted  in  Missouri  for  years,  and  that  State  seemed 
lost  to  the  Board  forever.     Texas  was  divided  into  five  mis- 


224  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    WORK 

sionary  organizations,  four  of  which  were  receiving  aid  from 
the  Home  Mission  Society,  and  the  fifth  was  paralyzed  by  its 
own  dissensions.  Thus  the  entire  territory  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  had  passed  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Board. 

East  of  the  river,  the  Mississippi  Board  was  in  alHance  with 
the  Publication  Society,  Georgia  was  co-operating  with  the 
Home  Mission  Society  in  work  among  the  Negroes,  while 
Florida  was  hesitating  between  remaining  with  the  Board,  or 
forming  an  alliance  with  the  Northern  society.  The  State 
Boards  had  grown  vigorously,  and  from  several  of  the  States 
the  Home  Mission  Board  was  excluded  by  action  of  their 
State  Conventions.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  the  Con- 
vention at  Greenville  pondered  the  question  whether  re- 
moval or  abandonment  was  the  wiser  pohcy.  When  it  was 
decided  to  remove  it  to  Atlanta,  and  the  present  Board  was 
put  in  charge,  the  outlook  was  by  no  means  assuring.  A  sur- 
vey of  the  field  indicated  a  great  defeat  and  a  lost  cause. 

Impressed  with  the  conviction  that  the  existence  of  the  Con- 
vention depended  upon  the  resuscitation  of  its  fortunes,  the 
new  Board  threw  itself  into  the  arduous  work  before  it  with 
the  determination  to  use  every  proper  effort  to  reclaim  its 
lost  territory,  and  to  make  itself  a  support  to  the  Convention. 
This  could  not  be  done  without  money,  and  our  impoverished 
and  disheartened  people  could  not  be  expected  to  give  a 
speedy  or  a  liberal  response  to  its  demands.  But  such  were 
the  earnestness  of  its  efforts  and  the  happy  results  of  its 
policy,  that  in  five  years  there  w^as  not  a  missionary  to  the 
white  people  of  the  South  who  did  not  bear  a  commission 
from  either  the  Home  Mission  Board  of  the  Southern  Bap- 
tist Convention,  or  one  of  our  State  Boards  in  alliance  with 
it. 

I.  Cuban  Missions.  In  1884  a  mission  was  started  at  Key 
West  among  the  Cubans  resident  in  that  city.  Miss  Adela 
Fales,  who  had  lived  in  Spanish  America  and  had  acquired 
a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  Spanish  language,  was  appointed 
missionary  to  the  women  and  children  of  that  city,  co-oper- 
ating with  the  Rev.  W.  B.  Wood,  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
church.  A  small  chapel  was  built  at  a  cost  of  about  ^1,500, 
and  in  this  Miss  Fales  gathered  a  day-school  and  a  Sunday- 
school,  and  held  frequent  meetings  with  the  Cuban  women. 
The  results  were  most  gratifying.  In  less  than  two  years 
Brother  Wood  had  baptized  about  forty  of  these  Cuban 
people  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Baptist  church.  Some 
of  this  number  on  their  return  to  Havana  found  other 
Christian  people  who  had  forms  of  worship  like  their  own. 


THE    SOUTHERN    BAPTIST    CONVENTION  225 

Communicating  this  fact  to  Brother  Wood,  they  earnestly 
requested  him  to  come  to  Havana  and  visit  them.  AppHca- 
tion  being  made  and  consent  received  from  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Board,  Brother  Wood  went  to  Havana  and  found  Rev. 
A.  J.  Diaz  and  his  people.  For  two  years  or  more  Brother 
Diaz  had  been  laboring  all  alone,  and  unknown  to  the  Chris- 
tian world,  among  the  people  of  his  native  island. 

The  history  of  this  work  in  Havana  is  most  wonderful. 
During  the  rebellion  in  Cuba  about  ten  years  before,  A.  J. 
Diaz,  who  was  connected  with  the  rebel  army,  was  cut  off 
from  his  command,  and  rather  than  surrender  to  the  Spanish 
soldiers,  threw  himself  into  the  sea.  He  was  picked  up  by  a 
small  fishing  vessel,  and  transferred  to  an  American  ship 
bound  for  the  city  of  New  York. 

Here  he  was  converted  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and 
united  with  the  Willoughby  Avenue  Church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
After  the  act  of  amnesty  was  passed  by  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment, and  it  became  safe  to  return  to  Cuba,  Brother  Diaz 
and  his  sisters  went  back  to  that  island.  Before  leaving  New 
York  he  had  resolved  to  devote  his  hfe  to  the  propagation 
of  the  gospel  in  his  native  land.  Too  modest  to  ask  his 
brethren  for  financial  support,  he  went  back  without  making 
known  his  purpose  to  them,  so  that  when  he  landed  on  the 
wharf  in  Havana  he  was  without  sympathy  or  support  of  any 
Christian  organization.  To  use  his  own  language,  he  had 
nothing  but  his  Bible  and  his  faith  in  God. 

But  he  remembered  that  there  were  in  the  city  of  Havana 
friends  and  companions  of  his  youth,  and  classmates  of  his 
at  the  university,  and  comrades  in  the  army,  and  he  resolved 
to  go  to  these  and  tell  them  about  the  religious  truth  which  was 
so  dear  to  his  heart.  To  his  great  delight  he  found  that 
some  of  them  were  willing  to  hsten  to  him.  The  Divine 
Spirit  attended  his  labors,  and  one  after  another  was  brought 
to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth,  until  at  length,  at  the  time  of 
Brother  Wood's  visit  to  him,  about  200  had  been  enrolled 
as  "new  men  and  new  women." 

As  Brother  Diaz  did  not  regard  himself  as  authorized  to 
administer  the  ordinances,  the  Reform  Church  organized  con- 
sisted of  members  who  had  never  been  baptized,  and  to 
whom  the  Lord's  Supper  had  never  been  administered. 

Brother  Wood's  visit  resulted  in  the  Baptists  of  Florida 
taking  a  great  interest  in  the  work  in  Havana,  and  Brother 
Diaz  was  brought  over  to  Key  West  and  there  ordained  by  a 
presbytery  of  Baptist  ministers  resident  in  Florida.  Brother 
Wood  returned  with  him   to  Havana  and  secretly  baptized 

p 


226  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    HOME    MISSION    WORK 

some  half  a  dozen  of  those  who  had  professed  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ.  He  and  Brother  Diaz  then  organized  the  first  Bap- 
tist church  that  had  ever  existed  in  the  island  of  Cuba.  This 
organization  took  place  about  the  twenty-sixth  of  January, 
1886.  After  Brother  Wood's  return  Brother  Diaz  received 
and  baptized  the  greater  part  of  those  who  had  been  mem- 
bers of  the  Reform  Church  in  Cuba. 

The  Florida  Baptist  Convention  had  appointed  Brother 
Diaz  and  his  sister  Minnie  as  missionaries  in  the  island  of 
Cuba,  and  as  all  the  work  of  Florida  was  done  in  co-opera- 
tion with  the  Home  Mission  Board,  they  reported  this  work 
and  these  missionaries  to  that  Board.  At  the  meeting  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention  in  Montgomery  in  1886,  the 
Convention  formally  recognized  this  mission  in  Cuba,  and 
placed  it  under  the  care  of  the  Home  Mission  Board. 

When  the  war  in  Cuba  began,  the  churches  had  about 
2,500  members,  and  the  mission  was  enjoying  a  degree  of 
prosperity  rarely  exhibited  in  the  history  of  Christian  effort. 
Hostilities  gave  our  Baptist  cause  a  check  which  well-nigh 
proved  its  overthrow.  Baptists  in  Cuba  were  always  objects 
of  suspicion.  Their  known  love  of  liberty,  and  their  un- 
conquerable opposition  to  the  union  of  Church  and  State 
marked  them  as  enemies  of  Spanish  rule  and  of  the  ecclesi- 
astical tyranny  which  it  upheld. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  Diaz  promptly  returned  to  Havana. 
About  500  of  our  Baptist  people  had  returned  to  the  city. 
This  remnant  of  his  flock  gathered  around  their  former  leader, 
and  were  reorganized  under  the  bright  auspices  of  a  new  land 
released  from  its  long  bondage  of  400  years. 

The  Board  has  broadened  its  work,  and  now  has  prosper- 
ous missions  not  only  in  the  Havana  District,  but  also  in 
those  of  Matanzas,  Santa  Clara,  and  Pinar  del  Rio.  It  is 
feeling  its  way  to  a  still  greater  enlargement,  which  it  hopes 
the  churches  will  soon  enable  it  to  make. 

2.  Wo?'k  Among  the  Negroes.  One  of  the  first  efforts 
made  by  the  new  Board  was  to  revive  its  work  among  the 
Negroes.  The  Home  Mission  Society  of  New  York  had  ex- 
pended large  sums  in  the  establishment  and  support  of  a 
school  for  both  men  and  women.  The  work  of  evangeliza- 
tion was  going  forward  under  the  direction  and  control  of  the 
ministry  of  the  Negro  churches,  and  there  was  little  opportu- 
nity for  missionaries  of  the  white  race  to  work  effectively  in 
this  department. 

There  remained  one  field  unoccupied  which  demanded 
immediate  attention  and  the  cutivation  of  which  promised 


THE    SOUTHERN    BAPTIST    CONVENTION  22/ 

the  best  results.  This  was  the  instruction  of  the  pastors  and 
prominent  members  of  the  Negro  churches.  Many  of  them 
were  very  poorly  equipped  for  their  work  as  pastors  or 
deacons.  The  Board  appointed  W.  H,  Mcintosh,  d.  d.  ,  to 
this  work  in  Georgia.  His  services  were  so  eminently  use- 
ful that  others  were  appointed. 

After  the  agreement  between  the  Home  Mission  Society 
and  the  Home  Board  for  co-operation  in  work  among  the 
Negroes  was  made  at  Fortress  Monroe  this  plan  of  work 
became  a  prominent  feature  in  their  conjoined  efforts,  and 
so  continues  at  the  present  time. 

3.  Swiday-school  Work.  When,  in  1873,  the  old  Sunday- 
school  Board  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  was  abol- 
ished, it  had  a  debt  of  about  $6,000,  and  this  debt  was 
turned  over  to  the  Home  Mission  Board,  with  instructions  to 
publish  the  Sunday-school  paper  "Kind  Words,"  and  pay 
off  the  debt. 

In  1 89 1,  at  Birmingham,  the  Convention,  by  a  practically 
unanimous  vote,  created  a  new  Sunday-school  Board,  located 
at  Nashville,  and  turned  over  to  it  the  valuable  property 
which  the  Home  Board  had  created  and  fostered  for  the 
Convention. 

VI.    DECADE    FROM    1890-I9OO. 

The  results  of  the  Board's  work  during  the  decade  ending 
May,  1900,  is  shown  in  the  following  figures  : 

Missionaries  employed  (annual  appointments),  4,522  ; 
baptisms  by  missionaries,  53,438  ;  total  additions  to  mission 
churches,  111,706;  churches  constituted,  1,819;  Sunday- 
schools  organized,  3,439  ;  raised  by  missionaries  on  the  field 
for  houses  of  worship,  $646,385. 

The  fact  that  the  Home  Mission  Board  makes  so  favorable 
a  showing  is  the  highest  commendation  of  the  wisdom  of  its 
policy  and  the  efficiency  of  its  management. 

I.    T.    TiCHENOR. 


XVI 

THE  AMERICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY 


The  Society  began  its  organized  life  at  Washington,  D.  C. , 
February  25,  1824.  For  several  years  prior  to  this  date  there 
appears  to  have  been  a  growing  conviction  among  Baptist 
people  that  the  denomination  should  have  a  publishing  house 
which  it  might  call  its  own.  It  is  estimated  that  in  1820  there 
were  in  the  United  States  about  2,200  Baptist  ministers  and 
3,600  Baptist  churches  with  225,000  members.  This  large 
body  of  people  would  naturally  feel  that  something  should  be 
done  in  the  way  of  publishing  and  disseminating  tracts  and 
books  setting  forth  Baptist  views  of  truth.  Among  those  most 
conscious  of  this  need  was  Rev.  Noah  K.  Davis,  a  young 
pastor  of  Salisbury,  Md.  While  a  student  at  Columbian  Col- 
lege he  had  had  conference  with  his  fellow-student,  James  D. 
Knowles,  about  the  matter  of  forming  a  society  for  the  pubH- 
cation  of  Baptist  tracts,  and  a  subsequent  meeting  with  Rev. 
Samuel  Cornelius,  who  carried  tracts  in  his  bell-crowned  hat, 
deepened  his  desire  for  the  formation  of  such  a  society.  As 
a  result  of  his  urgent  solicitations  a  meeting  was  held  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  George  Wood,  in  the  city  of  Washington,  Feb- 
ruary 25,  1824,  at  which  time,  after  much  deliberation  and 
prayer,  the  Baptist  General  Tract  Society  was  formed.  A 
constitution  was  adopted  setting  forth  the  aims  of  the  new 
organization  and  defining  its  powers  and  purposes.  A  depos- 
itory was  established  in  the  office  of  the  "  Columbian  Star," 
which  was  placed  in  charge  of  Mr.  John  S.  Mehan,  who  had 
the  year  before  removed  from  Philadelphia  to  Washington. 

An  organization  having  thus  been  effected,  the  officers  ap- 
pointed seem  to  have  proceeded  at  once,  through  the  columns 
of  "The  Columbian  Star"  and  other  papers,  to  make  known 
their  action  to  the  denomination  throughout  the  country. 
Before  the  close  of  the  first  year  ten  central  depositories  were 
estabhshed  at  various  points,  and  thirty-eight  auxiliary  soci- 
eties were  formed.  The  great  difficulty  with  which  the  new 
society  had  to  contend  was  lack  of  funds.  The  receipts  of 
the  first  year  were  only  $373.80.  The  city  of  Washington 
did  not  offer  the  proper  facilities  for  stereotyping,  printing, 
228 


THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    PUBTICATION    SOCIETY     229 

and  distributing  tracts.  These  things  stood  greatly  in  the 
way  of  the  progress  of  the  new  organization,  and  by  the  close 
of  the  second  year,  though  the  auxiliary  societies  had  increased 
to  seventy-one,  it  was  felt  that  a  crisis  had  arrived  and  that 
some  change  must  be  made  or  the  work  be  given  up. 

At  this  point  Mr.  Davis  came  once  more  to  the  front.  At 
his  urgent  solicitation  the  Society  was  removed  from  Wash- 
ington to  Philadelphia,  in  December,  1826.  A  depository  was 
established  on  the  second  floor  of  a  building  in  the  lower  part 
of  that  city,  for  which  the  modest  rental  of  $100  per  year  was 
paid,  and  the  work  of  the  Society  was  begun  again  with  new 
spirit  and  energy.  From  the  time  of  its  removal  from  ^Vash- 
ington  to  Philadelphia  until  the  year  1840  it  made,  however, 
but  slow  progress.  Mr,  Davis  died  in  1S30,  after  three  years 
of  faithful  service,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Ira  M.  Allen. 
The  entire  amount  of  money  coming  into  the  society's  treasury 
during  the  sixteen  years  from  1824  to  1840,  including  sales 
and  offerings,  was  only  $86,114.91,  or  a  little  over  $5,000 
per  year.  Notwithstanding  the  difficulties  in  their  way,  how- 
ever, the  brethren  in  charge  of  the  Society's  interests  kept 
bravely  at  their  work.  New  tracts  were  continually  being 
issued,  and  preparations  were  made  for  the  issue  of  bound 
volumes.  A  monthly  paper  was  published  which  continued 
for  many  years.  Special  attention  was  given  to  the  furnishing 
of  tracts  for  the  Mississippi  A^alley,  then  opening  for  settle- 
ment. Money  for  tracts,  or  the  tracts  themselves,  were  sent 
to  Judson  in  Burma,  and  Oncken  in  Germany. 

I.    A   SECOND    BEGINNING, 

That  beginning  may  be  said  to  have  dawned  in  1840.  The 
annual  meeting  was  held  at  the  Tabernacle  Church,  New 
York.  At  that  meeting  the  name  of  the  Society  was  changed 
from  the  Baptist  General  Tract  Society,  to  the  American 
Baptist  Pubhcation  and  Sunday-school  Society,  a  title  v/hich 
was  appropriately  shortened  in  1844  to  the  American  Baptist 
Publication  Society.  The  title  of  the  general  agent  was 
changed  to  that  of  corresponding  secretary,  and  as  the  posi- 
tion was  then  vacant.  Rev.  Morgan  J,  Rhees  was  elected  to 
fill  it.  A  new  charter  was  secured  and  new  life  began  to 
manifest  itself.  During  the  year  Backus'  "History,"  Booth's 
"Reign  of  Grace,"  Robert  Hall's  "Sermon  on  Modern  Infi- 
delity," a  neat  edition  of  the  "Pilgrim's  Progress,"  two  Sun- 
day-school books,  and  a  number  of  illustrated  tracts  were 
issued.  Efforts  were  set  on  foot  to  secure  $50,000  as  a  pub- 
lishing fund,  and  an  additional  amount  to  provide  more  ade- 


230     THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    PUBLICATION    SOCIETY 

quate  accommodations  for  the  home  ofifice.  The  year  1840 
is  also  to  be  noted  as  the  one  in  which  the  Society  first  em- 
ployed paid  colporters.  It  antedates  all  other  organizations, 
not  only  in  coining  the  name,  but  in  seizing  and  using  col- 
portage  in  religious  work,  an  honor  of  which,  considering  the 
value  of  this  agency,  it  may  well  be  proud. 

But  while  the  new  day  began  to  dawn  in  1840,  the  sun 
rose  slowly  and  behind  heavy  clouds.  During  the  first  year 
after  the  re-organization  the  receipts  from  all  sources  were 
only  $12,778.05.  The  annual  reports  year  after  year  bewail 
the  lack  of  funds  and  the  consequent  inability  of  the  Society 
to  do  the  work  expected  of  it.  But  what  could  be  done  was 
done.  A  few  colporters  were  sent  into  the  field,  and  the 
hst  of  the  Society's  books  and  tracts  kept  constantly  enlarg- 
ing. In  1845  a  charter,  under  which  with  slight  modifica- 
tions the  Society  has  ever  since  been  working,  was  obtained. 
During  this  year  also  "  Carson  on  Baptism  "  was  issued,  and 
the  publication  of  the  works  of  Andrew  Fuller  was  begun. 

The  year  1850  was  notable  in  the  history  of  the  Society  for 
at  least  two  things.  The  first  of  these  was  the  purchase  and 
occupancy  of  the  property  known  as  530  Arch  Street.  The 
second  was  the  employment  of  Dr.  J.  Newton  Brown  as  the 
first  book  editor  of  the  Society.  The  building  at  530  Arch 
Street  was  subsequently  enlarged  and  the  Society  continued 
its  occupancy  for  twenty-six  years,  or  until  the  removal  to 
1420  Chestnut  Street,  in  1876.  In  1856  the  total  number 
of  issues  amounted  to  501,  of  which  237  were  bound  volumes. 

The  year  1855  was  also  notable  for  two  things.  One  of 
these  was  an  advance  movement  in  the  Sunday-school  work 
of  the  Society.  Previous  to  that  year  a  large  number  of 
books  for  the  Sunday-school  had  been  published,  but  there 
were  no  papers  or  periodicals.  In  1855  the  entire  stock  of 
Sunday-school  plates,  engravings,  copyrights,  etc.,  belonging 
to  the  New  England  Sabbath-school  Union  was  purchased 
at  an  expense  of  $6,715.  The  other  notable  event  in  1855 
was  the  beginning  of  the  Society's  work  in  Sweden.  It  was 
in  that  year  that  Mr.  Wiberg,  forbidden  by  Swedish  law  to 
preach  the  gospel  in  his  native  land,  was  sent  by  the  Society 
to  Sweden  to  originate  and  direct  a  system  of  missionary  col- 
portage,  which  was  permissible  under  the  law.  So  wonder- 
fully was  this  work  blessed  of  God  that  when,  in  1866,  the 
Society  transferred  the  Swedish  mission  to  the  American  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Union,  there  were  176  Baptist  churches,  with 
an  aggregate  of  6,606  members,  and  the  work  had  extended 
to  Norway  and  surrounding  countries. 


THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    PUBLICATION    SOCIETY     23  I 

Perhaps  at  this  point,  as  well  as  anywhere  else,  we  may 
speak  of  other  and  more  recent  work  in  foreign  lands  under- 
taken by  the  Society.  For  several  years,  or  from  1872  to 
1877,  Mr.  Van  Meter  directed  a  mission  in  Italy  under  its 
auspices.  Like  work  was  done  for  a  considerable  period,  or 
from  1883  to  1 89 1,  through  special  funds  contributed  to  the 
Society,  in  Turkey  and  Armenia.  Dr.  Philip  W.  Bickel  was 
sent  by  it,  in  1878,  to  rescue  the  colportage  and  pubhshing 
work  in  Germany  begun  and  carried  on  by  Doctor  Oncken. 
He  remained  about  eight  years  in  the  Society's  service,  ac- 
complishing results  which  have  wonderfully  aided  our  cause 
in  the  German  Empire  and  contiguous  regions.  In  1882  a 
second  call  came  from  Sweden,  to  assist  our  brethren  there 
in  inaugurating  and  conducting  a  publishing  and  colportage 
work.  In  response  to  this  call.  Rev.  Jonas  Stadling,  son-in- 
law  to  Mr.  Wiberg,  was  employed  for  three  years,  during 
which  time  he  laid  the  foundations  of  the  Swedish  Publication 
Society.  In  1883  two  of  the  Society's  colporters  labored  in 
Mexico.  In  more  recent  years  the  Society  has  aided  our 
missionaries  in  India  and  China,  and  has  assisted  our  English 
brethren  in  more  fully  estabhshing  a  denominational  publish- 
ing house  for  the  United  Kingdom. 

II.     A    NEW    ERA. 

While  a  new  day  dawned  for  the  Society  in  1840,  a  new 
era  may  be  said  to  have  begun  in  1857,  when  Benjamin 
Griffith  was  called  to  the  secretaryship.  Doctor  Griffith  be- 
gan his  labors  under  circumstances  which  were  far  from  pro- 
pitious. The  business  of  the  Society  was  seriously  embarrassed 
and  was  feehng  the  effects  of  the  widespread  financial  panic 
under  which  the  country  was  then  suffering.  But  Doctor 
Griffith  laid  hold  of  the  task  set  before  him  with  the  utmost 
vigor  and  faith.  Mainly  by  the  aid  of  the  Crozer  and  Buck- 
nell  famihes  sufficient  funds  were  gathered  to  remove  the  debt 
and  enlarge  facilities  for  work.  For  three  or  four  years  matters 
went  on  to  the  great  encouragement  of  its  friends.  Then 
came  the  Civil  War,  which  during  the  first  year  or  two  greatly 
affected  its  business,  while  at  the  same  time  it  brought  new 
calls  and  opportunities.  During  the  later  years  of  the  war, 
hundreds  of  Baptist  Sunday-schools  and  churches  in  the 
South,  impoverished  by  the  war,  were  afforded  help.  Large 
quantities  of  literature  were  sent  to  camps  and  hospitals,  and 
thousands  of  dollars  were  expended  in  work  among  the  col- 
ored people.  Perhaps  at  no  time  in  the  history  of  the  So- 
ciety was  there  greater  activity  or  more  satisfactory  results. 


232     THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    PUBLICATION    SOCIETY 

It  could  hardly  be  said  that  the  Society  resumed  its  regular 
work  at  the  close  of  the  war,  as  it  had  been  prosecuting  this 
during  the  conflict,  but  it  certainly  can  be  said  that  with  the 
close  of  the  war  there  was  a  great  enlargement  of  its  work. 
It  was  found  necessary  to  establish  branch  houses  to  accom- 
modate the  various  sections.  In  1869  the  Chicago,  St.  Louis, 
and  New  York  Branches  were  established,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing year  the  Boston  Branch.  Later  there  were  added  to 
these  the  Branch  Houses  at  Atlanta,  Ga. ,  and  Dallas,  Texas — 
Atlanta  in  1887,  and  Dallas  in  1892. 

It  was  about  the  year  1870  that  a  new  era  in  Sunday-school 
work  began  for  the  Society.  In  November,  1869,  a  Sunday- 
school  Convention  under  its  auspices  was  held  in  St.  Louis. 
This  led  to  the  publication  of  "The  Baptist  Teacher"  and 
to  the  appointment  of  Dr.  Warren  Randolph  as  Sunday- 
school  secretary.  Dr.  Geo.  W.  Anderson  had  been  ap- 
pointed book  editor  in  1864,  and  he  and  Doctor  Randolph 
labored  earnestly  together  in  meeting  the  needs  of  the  Sunday- 
schools  and  churches. 

The  jubilee  of  the  Society  was  held  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
in  1874.  Hon.  J.  L.  Howard  was  then  president.  The 
meeting  was  one  of  great  rejoicing  and  encouragement. 
The  total  receipts  for  that  year  from  all  sources  were  $430,- 
854.93,  and  the  issues  for  the  year  amounted  to  330,813,542 
pages.  Up  to  that  time  the  Society  had  given  the  world 
1, 136  different  publications.  Two  notable  facts  were  brought 
out.  One  was,  that  for  every  dollar  of  receipts  in  the  Pubhsh- 
ing  Department  since  its  beginning  the  Society  had  actually 
published  1,054  i8mo  pages,  or  their  equivalent,  besides  circu- 
lating more  than  an  equal  amount  from  other  publishers,  and 
in  addition  to  this  had  accumulated  a  considerable  property. 
The  other,  that  the  Publishing  Department  had  contributed 
to  the  Missionary  Department  nearly  ^100,000  during  the 
fifty  years  of  its  history.  The  benevolent  work  for  the  year 
was  represented  by  the  employment  of  twenty  Sunday-school 
missionaries,  fifteen  colporters,  and  ten  missionary  agents. 
Grants  of  Bibles  and  religious  hterature  had  been  made  in 
thirty-one  States,  Territories,  and  foreign  countries,  and 
libraries  had  been  given  to  144  Sunday-schools  and  eighty- 
seven  ministers.  The  invested  funds  at  that  date  amounted 
to  $93,500,  on  $15,000  of  which  the  Publishing  Depart- 
ment was  paying  interest  to  the  Missionary  Department.  The 
outlook  for  the  Society  was  full  of  promise. 

It  will  not  be  possible  within  the  limits  set  for  this  article 
to  give  in   detail  the  history  of  the  Society  during  the  last 


THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    PUBLICATION    SOCIETY     233 

quarter  of  the  past  century.  The  important  events  of  this 
period  are  chiefly  :  i.  The  erection  of  the  new  building  at 
1420  Chestnut  Street,  and  its  opening  in  February,  1876. 
2.  The  observation  of  the  Robert  Raikes  Centenary  in  1880, 
which  netted  the  Society  $10,000  for  the  extension  of  its 
Sunday-school  work.  3.  The  memorable  Bible  Convention 
at  Saratoga  in  1883,  which  committed  the  Bible  work  of  the 
denomination  to  the  society.  4.  The  appointment  of  Dr. 
G.  J.  Johnson  as  missionary  secretary  in  1878,  Dr.  C.  R. 
Blackall  as  Sunday-school  editor  in  1883,  and  Dr.  C.  C. 
Bitting  as  Bible  secretary  in  1884.  5.  The  publication  of 
many  important  books  and  papers,  as  for  example,  the 
"Young  People"  and  the  "Senior  Quarterly,"  begun  in 
1880;  the  "Baptist  Hymnal"  in  1883,  the  "Baptist  Prin- 
ciple "  in  1 88 1,  and  many  others.  6.  The  beginning  of  the 
Baptist  Young  People's  Union  in  1890.  7.  The  inaugura- 
tion of  the  chapel-car  work  in  1891.  8.  The  appointment 
of  Dr.  Philip  L.  Jones  as  book  editor  in  1893.  9.  The 
lamented  death  of  Doctor  Griffith  in  the  same  year.  10. 
Appointment  of  the  present  general  and  missionary  secre- 
taries in  1895.  II.  The  great  and  disastrous  fire  of  February 
2,  1896.  12.  The  erection  of  the  printing  house  at  Lombard 
and  Juniper  Streets,  and  its  occupancy  in  1896.  13.  The 
building  at  1420  Chestnut  Street  of  a  larger  structure  to  take 
the  place  of  the  one  destroyed  by  fire,  and  its  formal  opening 
in  1898.  14.  Tne  understanding  reached  with  the  Home 
Mission  Society  as  to  relations  of  mission  work  in  1899. 
The  mere  mention,  however,  of  these  events,  fails  to  give 
any  idea  of  the  work  at  large,  the  advance  made  in  publica- 
tion, the  constantly  increasing  influence  of  the  society  through 
its  publications,  and  its  varied  benevolent  and  missionary 
enterprises,  and  the  vast  results  accomplished. 

III.    SUMMARY 

In  closing,  it  is  proper  that  a  summary  should  be  given  of 
the  work  done,  the  money  received,  and  the  results  secured, 
as  far  as  these  can  be  tabulated,  from  the  beginning  to  March 
31,  1900.  In  the  Publishing  Department  we  find  that  during 
the  seventy-six  years  of  its  history  the  Society  has  issued 
2,841  books,  pamphlets,  periodicals,  tracts,  etc.  The  total 
issues  of  these  publications  amount  to  812,209,588  copies, 
equal  to  18,634,095,457  i6mo  pages,  and  equivalent  to 
62,113,651  books  of  300  pages  each.  The  Society  is  now 
issuing  nineteen  different  Sunday-school  papers  and  periodi- 
cals, which  during  the  past  year  reached  a  total  of  44,206,000 


234     THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    PUBLICATION    SOCIETY 

copies.  Among  the  books  published  are  the  "American 
Commentary,"  "Clark's  People's  Commentary,"  Fuller's 
and  Eunyan'  works,  a  large  number  of  Baptist  histories, 
Hiscox's  "Directories,"  Gordon's  "Ministry  of  the  Spirit," 
Strong's  "The  Great  Poets  and  Their  Theology,"  Newman's 
"  History  of  Anti-pedobaptism,"  Lorimer's  "  Argument  for 
Christianity"  and  "  Christianity  in  the  Social  State,"  Patti- 
son's  "English  Bible"  and  "The  Making  of  the  Sermon," 
the  "Baptist  Hymnal"  "  Sursum  Corda,"  and  numerous 
others  as  deserving  of  mention.  Some  of  these  have  attained 
a  circulation  running  into  hundreds  of  thousands. 

The  profits  accruing  from  publications  have  been  applied 
in  two  directions.  One  of  these  has  been  the  creation  of  a 
reserve  or  sinking  fund  to  provide  against  business  or  build- 
ing contingencies.  It  was  from  this  fund  the  money  necessary 
for  the  erection  and  fitting  up  of  the  printing  house  was  taken. 
The  other  apphcation  of  the  profits  has  been  to  the  Mission- 
ary Department.  As  already  stated,  the  amount  given  by 
the  Publishing  Department  to  the  Missionary  Department  up 
to  1874  was  nearly  $100,000.  Since  that  time  over  $150,000 
has  been  paid,  making  the  total  amount  $250,000  from  the 
beginning.  Besides  this,  the  Publishing  Department  furnishes 
the  Missionary  Department,  both  at  the  home  office  and  at 
the  Branches,  offices  free  of  rent,  which  if  counted  would 
considerably  increase  the  aggregate  sum.  It  has  been  the 
invariable  rule  of  the  Society  to  charge  all  the  expenses  of  the 
administration  of  the  Bible  and  Missionary  Departments  to 
the  Publishing  Department.  During  the  past  few  years,  with 
very  heavy  burdens  to  bear  on  account  of  losses  occasioned 
by  the  fire,  there  has  been  no  change  in  this  time-honored 
custom.  Every  dollar  received  for  benevolent  and  missionary 
work  in  the  seventy-six  years  of  the  Society's  history  has  been 
expended  upon  the  field. 

The  receipts  in  the  Publishing  Department  for  the  first 
fifty  years  of  the  Society's  history  were  $3,062,038.85.  For 
the  last  twenty-six  years  they  have  been  $12,049,377.26. 
The  total  amount  received  through  the  Publishing  Depart- 
ment from  the  beginning  is,  therefore,  $15,111,416.11. 

The  Bible  work  of  the  denomination  was  placed  fully  in 
the  hands  of  the  Society  in  1883.  Since  that  time,  $321,- 
184.15  has  been  raised  and  expended  in  that  department. 
Of  this  amount,  $50,565.62  has  been  paid  to  the  American 
Baptist  Missionary  Union  and  $12,600  to  the  Foreign  Board 
of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  for  Bible  work  abroad. 
The  Society  has  also  at  great  expense  prosecuted  the  work  of 


THE    AMERICAN    BAPTIST    PUBLICATION    SOCIETY     235 

revision  committed  to  it  by  the  Saratoga  Convention,  and 
hopes  shortly  to  be  able  to  present  to  the  world  a  revision 
of  the  entire  word  of  God  made  by  Baptist  scholars. 

It  is  difficult  to  summarize  the  benevolent  work  done  by 
the  Missionary  Department  of  the  Society  for  the  entire 
period  of  its  history,  as  previous  to  1865  no  accurate  records 
appear  to  have  been  kept.  Since  that  time  the  total  amount 
of  grants  made  at  home  and  abroad  amount  to  $393,209.49, 
or  $11,248.56  per  year,  15,603  Sunday-schools  having  been 
aided  and  7,561  ministers  having  had  grants  for  their  libraries. 

The  receipts  in  the  Missionary  Department  during  the  first 
fifty  years  of  the  society's  history  were  $799,224.86,  or  $15,- 
964.50  per  year.  During  the  past  twenty-six  years  the  re- 
ceipts have  been  $2,544,497.88,  or  $97,865.30  per  year. 
The  entire  amount  received  for  missionary  work  from  the 
beginning  is  $3,343,723.10. 

The  agents,  colporters,  Sunday-school  missionaries,  and 
chapel-car  workers  who  have  been  engaged  in  the  service  of 
the  society  have  been  3,904.  These  Avorkers  have  sold 
792,131  books  and  given  away  177,440  more,  besides  46,- 
463,823  pages  of  tracts.  They  have  visited  1,551,811  fami- 
lies, held  149,317  prayer-rneetings,  and  conducted  11,263 
Sunday-school  institutes.  They  have  organized  11,561 
Sunday-schools,  baptized  27,927  persons,  and  constituted 
1,315  churches. 

The  financial  condition  of  the  society  at  the  present  time 
is  as  follows  :  The  net  assets  of  the  Bible  and  Missionary  De- 
partments, including  $217,974.99  conditional  funds  upon 
which  interest  is  paid  to  donors  during  their  lifetime,  amount 
to  $626,019.99.  The  net  assets  of  the  Publishing  Depart- 
ment, including  real  estate,  fixtures,  machinery,  stock,  plates, 
accounts  in  process  of  collection,  etc.,  amount  to  $852,- 
303.03  ;  total  aggregate  of  the  assets  for  all  departments, 
$1,508,323.02.  As  indicative  of  the  growth  of  the  Society 
we  may  add  that  the  total  receipts  in  all  departments  for 
1898-1899  were  $916,288.20,  as  against  $430,854.93  for 
1873-1874,  the  semi-centennial  year. 

A.  J.  Rowland. 


XVII 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


PART  I 
NORTHERN 


Baptist  Sunday-school  work  is  all  included  within  the  nine- 
teenth century.  Prior  to  that  we  have  definite  record  of  but 
four  Sunday-schools,  the  denominational  relations  of  these 
being  unknown  ;  probably  they  were  union  schools  :  one  at 
Savannah,  Ga. ,  1737  ;  one  at  Bethlehem,  Conn.,  and  one  at 
Ephrata,  Pa.,  1740  ;  and  one  at  Plymouth,  Mass.,  1780. 

I.     EARLY    BAPTIST    SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 

The  earhest  organized  Baptist  Sunday-school  seems  to  have 
been  the  First  Baptist,  of  Pawtucket,  R.  I.,  in  1797,  modeled 
upon  the  plan  of  the  Raikes  schools  in  England,  distinctly 
religious  features  not  being  introduced  until  about  1805.  The 
Second  Baptist,  of  Baltimore,  Md. ,  was  started  in  1804. 
Next  came  the  First  Baptist,  of  Charlestown,  Mass.,  in  1813  ; 
First  Baptist,  of  Philadelphia,  in  181 5  ;  First  Baptist,  of 
Charleston,  S.  C. ;  First  Baptist,  of  Middletown,  N.  J. ;  and 
Charles  Street  Baptist,  of  Boston,  in  1816  ;  West  Dedham, 
Massachusetts,  in  181 7  ;  First  Baptist,  of  Hartford,  Conn., 
in  1818  ;  First  Baptist,  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  in  18 19.  There- 
after Sunday-schools  multiphed  very  rapidly. 

1.  Union  in  organization.  The  "First  Day  Society"  was 
formed  in  Philadelphia  in  1790  or  1791,  and  the  "Philadel- 
phia Adult  and  Sunday  School  Union"  in  1817,  succeeded 
by  "  The  American  Sunday  School  Union"  in  1824,  which  at 
that  date  reported  723  schools,  with  an  aggregate  member- 
ship of  about  50,000;  and  that  in  1821  began  the  employ- 
ment of  Sunday-school  missionaries.  In  1824  it  was  claimed 
that  the  number  of  Regular  Baptists  in  the  United  States 
was  in  round  numbers  150,000,  the  number  of  churches  be- 
ing 3,594.  The  number  of  Sunday-schools  at  this  date  can- 
not be  even  approximately  stated. 

2.  The  Denominational  Flan.      About  the  year  1,829,  in- 
236 


NORTHERN  237 

quiries  began  to  arise  for  statistical  information  concerning 
Sunday-schools,  the  inquiries  coming  from  churches  to  Asso- 
ciations ;  and  then  appears  a  suggestion  in  the  Annual  Report 
of  the  "Baptist  Tract  Society,"  in  1830,  that  "the  time  may 
come  when  the  number  of  schools  in  our  denomination  will 
be  so  great  as  to  require  the  Baptist  Tract  Society  to  publish 
a  series  of  Sabbath-school  books  suited  to  their  needs." 

Five  years  later,  in  1835,  a  proposition  was  made  to  pub- 
lish library  books  for  Sunday-schools,  and  repeated  suggestions 
were  made  by  the  Board  of  the  Baptist  Tract  Society  to  es- 
tablish a  Baptist  Sunday-school  Union  ;  yet  up  to  and  in- 
cluding 1839,  but  three  Sunday-school  library  books  were 
pubhshed  by  that  society. 

Meanwhile,  the  "  New  England  Sabbath  School  Union" 
had  been  in  operation  for  several  years,  with  a  juvenile  paper 
and  a  fair  list  of  books  for  that  time  ;  there  was  coming  to  be 
some  friction  between  the  two  societies,  neither  of  which  was 
entirely  satisfactory  to  progressive  workers  in  Baptist  ranks. 
Urgent  demands  were  made  and  reiterated  with  force  in  1839- 
1840  for  a  new  organization  with  a  distinctly  denominational 
name  and  purpose,  with  a  view  to  better  results.  The  Baptist 
Tract  Society  now  met  the  situation  in  part  by  changing  its 
name,  in  1840,  to  "The  American  Baptist  Publication  and 
Sunday-school  Society,"  with  power  to  issue  Sunday-school 
papers  and  library  books  ;  its  entire  assets  at  the  time  being 
$4,121.70.  The  title,  however,  was  regarded  as  cumbrous, 
and  four  years  later  the  words  "and  Sunday-school"  were 
omitted.  Negotiations  with  a  view  to  the  purchase  of  the 
New  England  Sunday  School  Union  were  maintained  through 
sixteen  years,  until  in  1856  it  was  satisfactorily  arranged,  the 
consideration  paid  the  Union  being  $6,715.  The  "Young 
Reaper,"  which  had  been  published  monthly  by  the  late 
Union,  was  now  issued  in  improved  form,  with  an  edition  of 
fifty  thousand  copies,  and  the  same  year  witnessed  the  issue 
of  question  books  for  use  in  Baptist  Sunday-schools. 

3.  Change  to  Denominational  Schools.  The  activity  mani- 
fested by  those  who  represented  the  American  Baptist  Pub- 
lication Society  in  the  West  led  to  a  very  material  change  in 
conditions  between  1867  and  1870,  so  that  there  was  prac- 
tically a  revolution  throughout  all  of  the  Northern  States, 
whereby  the  union  plan  was  changed  to  that  of  denomina- 
tional schools.  This  was  due  in  very  large  degree  also  to 
the  fact  that  within  these  years  the  American  Baptist  Publi- 
cation Society  had  become  universally  recognized  as  the 
specific   denominational   Sunday-school   organization.      The 


238         AMERICAN    BAPTIST    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 

Society  began  its  issues  of  lesson  helps,  with  "Bible  Les- 
sons" in  1869,  in  advance  of  the  International  Lesson  sys- 
tem, the  new  "Lessons"  promptly  gaining  a  circulation  of 
100,000,  and  "  The  Baptist  Teacher  "  in  1870  following  with 
a  circulation  of  24,000.  Meanwhile,  the  First  Baptist  Na- 
tional Sunday-school  Convention  was  held  at  St.  Louis,  Mo., 
in  1869. 

Thenceforward  the  calendar  rapidly  filled  with  items  of 
interest  and  significance,  almost  every  year  being  marked  by 
evidence  of  steady  progress.  Thus,  in  1871,  Warren  Ran- 
dolph, D.  D. ,  was  appointed  Sunday-school  secretary  of  the 
Society,  and  under  his  direction  the  Second  Baptist  National 
Sunday-school  Convention  was  held  at  Cincinnati  in  1872  ; 
"Our  Little  Ones"  was  started  in  1873;  "Primary  Les- 
sons" and  a  "Normal  Class  Manual"  appeared  in  1874; 
"Baptist  Question  Books"  on  the  International  Lessons 
came  out  in  1875,  the  "Primary  Question  Book"  in  1877  ; 
and  in  the  same  year  the  Third  Baptist  National  Sunday- 
school  Convention  and  Institute  was  held  in  Boston. 

In  1878,  in  harmony  with  most  other  publishing  houses,  a 
decided  change  was  made  in  the  Sunday-school  lesson  helps. 
The  "Question  Books"  dropped  suddenly  out  of  use,  and 
quarterhes  of  different  grades  took  their  place.  Among  these 
were  what  are  now  the  "Advanced  Quarterly,"  the  "Inter- 
mediate Quarterly, ' '  and  ' '  Picture  Lesson  Cards, ' '  which 
were  first  issued  in  1881.  "Young  People"  began  its  career 
in  the  same  year,  and  "The  Young  Reaper"  was  reinforced 
by  a  second  children's  paper  with  the  title  of  "  Sunlight," 
which  was  succeeded  in  1897  by  "Boys  and  Girls." 

4.  More  Pcifcctly  Graded  Lesson  Helps.  Very  great  ad- 
vance marked  1884,  when  the  series  of  lesson  helps  was  en- 
larged and  more  perfectly  graded,  by  the  addition  of  the 
"Baptist  Superintendent"  and  the  "Senior  Quarterly." 
Various  improvements  are  noteworthy  in  the  make-up  of  the 
"Helps,"  the  Hne  remaining  essentially  unchanged,  except 
with  the  addition  of  "  Barnens  Tidning,"  a  children's  paper 
in  Swedish,  until  1899,  when  the  "Home  Department  Ad- 
vanced Quarterly"  and  the  "Home  Department  Senior 
Quarterly"  were  started  on  their  mission. 

5.  A  Broad  Work.  The  heading  of  this  sketch  suggests 
a  setting  forth  of  Sunday-school  work  only  in  the  Northern 
States,  but  it  has  been  found  quite  impossible  to  divide  such 
work  lay  geographical  bounds.  Until  1881  there  was  but  a 
single  specific  Baptist  general  Sunday-school  agency  of  a 
national  character  in  tlie  United  States,  viz,  the  American 


NORTHERN  239 

Baptist  Publication  Society,  whose  efforts  in  this  direction 
penetrated  and  included  every  State  and  Territory,  more  or 
less,  by  its  Sunday-school  missionaries  and  other  workers, 
even  as  it  does  to-day.  It  would  be  entirely  wrong,  however, 
to  claim  for  this  one  Society  all  the  Baptist  Sunday-school 
achievements  of  the  century,  yet  a  true  reckoning  cannot  be 
made  without  it  as  the  largest  and  most  influential  single  fac- 
tor in  the  progress  made  during  the  century. 

The  several  State  and  other  local  Associations,  the  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society,  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention, 
the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union,  and  kindred  bodies,  the 
churches,  and  private  publishers,  each  has  contributed  more 
or  less.  These  must  be  taken  into  the  account,  and  due 
credit  must  in  all  fairness  be  awarded  to  every  element  that 
has  entered  materially  into  the  general  result. 

II.     RESULTS    GAINED. 

1.  Organization.  Upon  the  basis  of  historical  facts  pre- 
viously presented,  we  may  now  briefly  marshal  the  results 
gained.  One  well-marked  line  of  development  is  in  organi- 
zation, in  which  the  conditions  that  prevailed  during  the 
opening  years  of  the  century  were  rapidly  and  permanently 
reversed.  This  change  kept  pace  with  the  growth  of  our 
country  and  the  facihties  for  inter-communication.  The 
same  reasons  that  led  many  scattered  Baptists  of  the  eighteenth 
century  to  attempt  to  "build  together  "  with  other  denomina- 
tions caused  the  less  scattered  Baptists  of  the  early  nine- 
teenth century  honestly  to  make  the  same  attempt  in  their 
Sunday-school  work  and  with  hke  result. 

It  did  not  so  much  matter,  however,  when  the  schools 
were  so  few  in  number  that  co-operation  was  difficult  or 
impracticable.  The  mail  facilities  in  the  earlier  years  of  the 
century  were  so  limited  and  the  means  of  personal  commu- 
nication so  insufficient  that  there  was  httle  stimulus  to  closely 
organized  effort  on  the  part  of  the  few  schools  that  were  in 
operation.  The  pronounced  individuality  and  independence 
of  Baptists  might  also  have  stood  somewhat  in  the  way,  but 
there  were  clear-visioned  leaders  of  thought  and  action  who 
perceived  the  needs  of  the  hour  and  were  not  slow  to  adopt 
and  put  in  force  such  measures  as  the  times  demanded. 

2.  Unionistn  Done  Away.  The  first  step  was  to  do  away 
with  all  trace  of  unionism  in  Sunday-school  as  in  church 
organization,  in  order  that  freedom  of  teaching  the  children 
and  youth  should  be  equally  untrammeled  in  the  church  and 
the  school.      It  was  a  battle  royal,  not  against  Christian  fel- 


240         AMERICAN    BAPTIST    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 

lowship,  but  against  limitation  and  restriction  in  teaching 
divine  truth.  The  result  at  the  close  of  the  century  abun- 
dantly justifies  the  effort. 

3.  Aggressive  Effort.  Naturally  following  this  came  aggres- 
sive personal  work  by  colporters  and  Sunday-school  mission- 
aries. At  first  it  was  only  the  former  that  were  sent  forth, 
beginning  in  1840,  on  their  divinely  approved  errand.  No 
one  can  fully  comprehend  the  value  of  the  religious  seed-sow- 
ing faithfully  done  by  these  humble  workers.  After  them 
came  Sunday-school  missionaries  especially  equipped  for  their 
duties  by  training  and  experience,  and  with  a  wider  and 
more  important  field.  More  frequently  than  the  others, 
because  their  opportunities  were  greater,  tliey  organized  Sun- 
day-schools in  Baptist  churches  or  planted  schools  that  eventu- 
ated in  Baptist  churches. 

4.  Common  Gfvund  of  Effort.  Side  by  side  with  this  de- 
termination to  so  group  forces  that  most  permanent  work 
could  be  economically  accomplished,  came  due  recognition 
of  the  fact  that  there  was  much  common  ground  of  effort ; 
that  in  the  department  of  methods  there  was  no  need  of 
separation  ;  that  the  discussion  and  application  of  pedagogi- 
cal principles  would  be  more  interesting  and  effective  in  pro- 
portion as  there  was  community  of  interest  and  action.  Thus 
it  came  to  pass  that  two  distinct  lines  of  effort  were  pursued  : 
one  in  which  every  rehgious  principle  was  held  sacred,  and 
one  in  which  educational  principles  of  universal  application 
were  recognized  and  utilized. 

5.  Technical  or  Specific  Literature  Dernanded.  As  hand  in 
glove,  with  determination  to  secure  thorough  and  effective 
organization  came  increasing  recognition  of  intellectual  and 
doctrinal  requirements.  The  religious  weekly  press  was  not 
deemed  sufficient  to  meet  the  needs.  A  specific,  and  in  a 
degree  technical,  literature  \vas  demanded,  within  the  range 
of  average  pupils  in  Sunday-schools.  It  was  not  enough  that 
the  schools  should  be  Baptist  in  name  ;  they  must  be  such  in 
fact.      The  teaching  material  must  therefore  be  unquestioned. 

The  principle  of  unionism  is  mutual  concession  ;  the  prin- 
ciple of  denominationalism  is  fidelity  to  all  truth  as  Baptists 
hold  the  truth.  Solid  growth  in  individuals  or  churches  can 
be  gained  only  by  conserving  the  truth  ;  the  exponents  of 
the  truth  must  be  such  as  shall  merit  entire  confidence.  For 
these  reasons,  the  denomination  turned  to  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society  as  worthy  of  the  great  trust  con- 
fided and  able  to  fulfill  its  appropriate  functions.  Not  once 
has  that  sacred  trust  been  betrayed. 


NORTHERN  24I 

Upon  the  shelves  of  a  large  bookcase  in  the  offices  of  the 
Periodical  Department  of  this  Society  are  292  volumes  of 
varying  size,  which  represent  its  entire  issues  of  Sunday- 
school  periodicals.  If  the  aggregate  quantity  of  these  peri- 
odicals were  reduced  to  ordinary  book  pages,  the  approximate 
amount  would  be  the  enormous  quantity  of  1,500,000,000 
pages.  Added  to  which  are  10,000,000,000  pages,  in 
round  numbers,  included  in  the  numerous  books  issued 
either  for  hbraries  or  as  aids  in  various  departments  of 
Sunday-school  work.  While  this  is  the  largest  single  factor, 
other  agencies  employed  would  greatly  swell  the  aggregate  of 
production.  The  mind  cannot  appreciate  the  vastness  of 
such  numbers,  but  it  is  not  impossible  to  estimate  the  influ- 
ence that  such  distribution  would  have  and  the  impression 
it  would  make  upon  the  minds  and  hearts  of  two  successive 
generations  of  intelligent  people. 

It  would  be  absurd  to  claim  that  the  entire  Baptist  Sunday- 
school  periodical  and  book  issues  during  the  century  were  of 
a  denominational  cliaracter  merely  because  they  had  a  direct 
or  indirect  denominational  imprint.  In  point  of  fact,  the 
polemical  element  is  almost  entirely  absent  in  this  hterature. 
Careful  examination  will  easily  reveal  the  motive  that  has 
prevailed  throughout  all  the  years  and  the  wisdom  of  the 
course  taken  :  first,  eUmination  of  error,  so  that  there  should 
not  be  any  recognition  or  advertising  of  its  claims  ;  this  was 
a  strong  point  in  the  earher  years  of  the  last  half  of  the  cen- 
tury, when  no  books  were  even  admitted  for  sale  by  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  or  its  agencies,  until 
after  most  rigorous  examination  ;  secondly,  earnest  and  direct 
presentation  of  awakening  and  convincing  appeals  for  a  true 
Christian  Hfe  ;  thirdly,  a  calm,  straightforward  setting  forth 
of  distinctive  Baptist  principles,  as  these  came  under  review 
in  the  study  of  God's  word. 

While  this  work  has  been  centralized  most  largely  in  the 
North,  it  has  been  participated  in  by  writers  residing  in  all 
parts  of  the  country,  and  its  influence  distributed  universally, 
without  regard  to  sectional  lines.  The  outcome  has  been 
increase  of  intelligence  upon  doctrinal,  practical,  and  denomi- 
national tenets,  and  the  unifying  of  a  great  body  of  Christians 
upon  a  broad  basis  that  is  without  any  ecclesiasticism  what- 
ever, without  synod,  presbytery,  bishop,  or  pope.  In  no 
other  country  has  the  same  course  been  followed  so  closely  ; 
in  no  other  have  the  beneficent  results  been  so  complete. 

6.  Some  Statistics.  We  close  with  a  few  statistics  gleaned 
from  the  "Baptist  Year-Book, "  with  which  there  is  nothing 

o 


242  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 

to  compare  because  the  century  opened  with  a  cipher,  so  far 
as  Baptist  Sunday-school  work  is  concerned.  If  Baptist  effort 
has  failed  to  keep  pace  with  the  growth  and  development  of 
our  country,  Baptists  have  themselves  only  to  blame. 

The  present  number  of  Associations  is  1,680,  formed  by 
43,959  churches,  with  an  aggregate  membership  of  4,233,226. 
Of  these  churches  only  24,878  seem  to  have  meeting-houses, 
the  total  seating  capacity  being  2,558,157.  Whether  the 
statistics  are  at  fault  through  lack  of  information,  or  whether 
considerably  more  than  one-half  of  the  churches  are  unhoused, 
no  one  can  tell.  If  the  membership  is  almost  double  the 
seating  capacity  of  the  meeting-houses,  it  would  certainly 
evince  a  decided  scarcity  of  the  latter,  and  it  should  awaken 
a  pertinent  inquiry  with  regard  to  the  great  number  of  Bap- 
tists who  must  necessarily  be  deprived  of  church  privileges. 

The  "Year-Book"  statistics  place  the  present  number  of 
Sunday-schools  at  25,200,  which  is  18,759  l^ss  than  the  num- 
ber of  churches.  Perhaps  the  fault  is  in  the  lack  of  proper 
information,  but  the  conditions  are  materially  improved  over 
those  of  1876,  when  with  21,000  Baptist  churches  reported 
there  were  but  9,000  Baptist  Sunday-schools.  The  present 
membership  of  the  schools  is  stated  to  be  within  a  fraction  of 
2,000,000,  or  less  than  one-half  the  church-membership.  It 
was  estimated  in  1876  that  actually  the  schools  were  10,000 
in  number,  with  a  membership  of  1,000,000.  It  thus  ap- 
pears that  in  twenty-five  years  the  record  has  been  fully 
doubled,  and  that  now  the  numerical  strength  of  the  schools 
nearly  equals  the  seating  capacity  of  the  meeting-houses. 

The  total  number  of  Sunday-school  periodicals  now  issued 
by  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  is  eighteen,  and 
their  aggregate  circulation  last  year  was  43,897,400  copies. 
Other  periodicals  issued  especially  for  Baptist  schools  would 
possibly  increase  the  number  to  a  round  forty-five  miUions  of 
copies  for  the  year.  The  Society  now  has  upon  its  catalogue 
390  publications  that  are  specifically  designed  for  Sunday- 
schools,  or  for  the  training  and  improvement  of  Christian 
workers  in  that  department  of  effort.  The  issues  of  other 
houses  would  materially  increase  this  amount.  In  all  lines 
the  constant  aim  is  to  meet  the  requirements  of  an  ever-im- 
proving standard  of  excellence.  The  entire  sum  of  achieve- 
ment cannot  be  told  in  words  or  in  figures,  and  may  be  known 
only  when  the  final  account  is  made  up  in  the  white  hght  of 
the  eternal  throne,  where  all  human  agencies  will  receive  due 
recognition  and  due  meed  of  reward. 

C.  R.  Blackall. 


SOUTHERN  243 

PART    II 

SOUTHERN 

This  paper  must  be  held  on  prescribed  lines  and  within 
required  limits.  It  concerns  "  organized  Sunday-school  en- 
terprise, including  agency  work  in  organizing  Sunday-schools, 
and  publication  work,"  as  done  by  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention. 

This  does  not  date  back  so  far  as  a  hundred  years.  In 
some  instances  it  is  not  easy  to  determine  the  precise  date. 
From  an  early  period,  however,  there  was  a  feehng  among 
many  Baptists  in  the  South  that  their  work  could  be  better 
prosecuted  by  themselves  than  by  others,  and  this  feeling 
intensified  at  different  times  by  different  things,  found  ex- 
pression finally  in  the  formation  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention at  Augusta,  Ga.,  in  the  year  1845, 

THE    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    BOARD. 

At  the  first,  and  for  many  years  after  its  organization,  the 
Convention  operated  through  only  a  Foreign  Mission  Board 
at  Richmond,  Va.,  and  a  Home  Mission  Board  located  at 
Marion,  Ala.,  formerly,  but  afterward  at  Atlanta,  Ga.  Its 
Sunday-school  Board  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  was  created  in 
1 89 1  in  the  session  at  Birmingham,  x\la.  It  was  charged  with 
certain  great  interests,  but  from  time  to  time  its  scope  has 
been  enlarged,  until  now  it  represents  what  the  Baptists  of 
the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  are  doing  along  four  lines 
of  work  under  the  direct  control  of  the  Convention. 

1.  The  improvement  of  their  Sunday-school  condition  so 
as  to  foster  its  power  for  greatest  usefulness. 

2.  Making  a  periodical  hterature  for  use  in  their  schools 
as  best  adapted  to  their  needs,  and  helping  their  other  Hues 
of  work. 

3.  The  distribution  of  the  Bible  in  destitute  places  in  home 
and  foreign  fields,  as  a  distinct  effort  to  give  the  word  of  God 
to  the  people. 

4.  The  publication  of  books  and  tracts,  making  a  publish- 
ing industry  for  the  advancement  of  denominational  enter- 
prises. 

These  four  things  are  closely  related,  are  reciprocal  in  their 
helpfulness,  indeed  some  of  them  making  the  others  possible 
and  powerful.      It  is  interesting  to  trace  the  historical  develop- 


244         AMERICAN    BAPTIST    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 

ment  of  these  separate  phases  in  which  the  Convention  has 
been  more  or  less  engaged  for  something  over  fifty  years. 

BEGINNING    AT    THE    FIRST 

At  the  session  of  1863,  at  Augusta,  Ga. ,  the  Convention 
appointed  a  Sunday-school  Board,  which  was  located  first  at 
Greenville,  S.  C,  and  after  the  war  at  Memphis,  Tenn., 
where  it  operated  until  its  consolidation  with  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Board  by  the  Convention  in  the  session  of  1873  at 
Mobile,  Ala.  This  early  movement  in  the  work  was  led  by 
Dr.  Basil  Manly,  Jr.,  who  had  gone  from  Virginia  to  take  a 
position  in  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary  then 
recently  established  at  Greenville,  S.  C.  He  had  done  much 
to  forward  the  Sunday-school  interests  in  the  Old  Dominion, 
as  had  been  done  in  other  States,  and  now  gave  the  effort  a 
much  wider  range  and  a  more  effective  working  basis. 

This  new  Sunday-school  Board,  besides  doing  noble  Bible 
work  and  much  to  promote  interest  in  the  Sunday-school 
cause,  published  many  tracts,  books,  and  catechisms  which 
quickly  became  very  popular  and  some  of  which  remained 
and  are  in  demand  to  this  day  as  connecting  links  between 
the  old  and  the  new.  It  began  the  pubhcation  of  "  Kind 
Words"  in  January,  1866.  The  paper  was  then  a  small 
monthly,  having  received  its  name  from  C.  J.  Elford,  and 
was  edited  by  Dr.  Basil  Manly,  Jr.,  assisted  by  Dr.  John 
A.  Broadus. 

At  the  time  of  the  consohdation  of  the  two  Boards,  the 
publication  of  ' '  Kind  Words ' '  was  transferred  to  the  Home 
Board,  under  whose  auspices  it  continued  to  be  pubhshed 
under  the  editorship  of  Dr.  Samuel  Boykin.  The  paper  was 
always  a  source  of  revenue  to  the  Convention,  and  finally 
became  the  basis  for  the  future  enlargement  of  its  pubhca- 
tion work. 

In  1885  the  International  series  as  a  method  of  Bible  study 
having  come  into  general  use  and  furnishing  a  larger  field  and 
surer  basis  for  publishing,  the  Home  Mission  Board  recom- 
mended in  its  report  to  the  Convention  in  session  at  Augusta, 
the  publication  of  a  full  hne  of  graded  Sunday-school  periodi- 
cals. The  report  was  adopted  and  their  publication,  in  con- 
nection with  "Kind  Words"  as  a  basis,  was  begun  in  Atlanta, 
in  1886,  with  Dr.  Basil  Manly,  Jr.,  and  Dr.  Samuel  Boykin 
as  editors.  These  periodicals,  forming  a  distinctive  Sunday- 
school  literature,  commended  themselves  at  once  to  many 
and  grew  rapidly  in  circulation,  being  known  as  "Kind 
Words  Series. ' '   They  continued  to  be  pubhshed  by  the  Home 


SOUTHERN  245 

Mission  Board  until  their  transfer  to  the  present  Sunday-school 
Board  at  the  time  of  its  appointment,  and  the  first  issue  was 
made  from  Nashville,  Tenn.,  January  i,  1892,  their  name 
being  changed  from  "  Kind  Words  Series  "  to  "  Convention 
Series  of  Sunday-school  Helps. ' ' 

ANOTHER    LINE   OF    HISTORY. 

There  is  another  phase  of  its  history  needing  to  be  set 
forth,  concerning  the  organized  efforts  of  the  Southern  Bap- 
tist Convention  in  the  distribution  of  the  word  of  God,  as 
more  or  less  connected  with  its  Sunday-school  enterprise. 
As  early  as  its  second  session  at  Richmond,  Va. ,  1846,  special 
mention  was  made  in  the  Convention  of  its  Bible  cause,  which 
was  committed  to  the  Home  and  Foreign  Boards  for  their  re- 
spective fields.  This  action  was  considered  wisest,  as  it  was 
thought  the  Convention  should  have  its  "Bible  agencies,  as 
it  had  its  mission  agencies,  within  its  own  precincts." 

In  its  session  at  Nashville,  185 1,  after  deliberate  considera- 
tion, it  appointed  a  Bible  Board  which  was  entrusted  with  the 
prosecution  of  the  Bible  work.  The  operation  of  this  Board 
was  very  successful  for  ten  years,  and  was  then  interrupted 
by  the  adversities  of  war.  At  the  fall  of  Nashville,  1862, 
the  Bible  Board  practically  went  out  of  existence,  though  not 
technically  so  until  a  year  later. 

In  its  session  at  Augusta,  Ga.,  1863,  all  communication 
with  Nashville  having  been  cut  off  by  the  war  then  in  pro- 
gress, the  Convention  discontinued  its  Bible  Board  and  com- 
mitted that  part  of  its  work  to  the  other  two  Boards  and  to 
the  Sunday-school  Board  which  was  created  at  that  time,  and 
through  these  three  agencies  did  effective  service  under  the 
most  trying  circumstances  for  the  distribution  of  Bibles  in 
destitute  places. 

The  present  Sunday-school  Board  estabhshed  its  Bible  de- 
partment in  1893,  setting  apart  from  its  earnings  ^500  as  a 
Bible  fund.  This  was  done  under  the  vnse  management  of 
Dr.  T.  P.  Bell,  who  was  then  corresponding  secretary,  to 
meet  the  necessity  so  often  arising  for  the  free  distribution 
of  the  word  of  God.  Year  by  year  the  Convention  approved 
the  work  and  in  the  session  at  Wilmington,  1897,  not  only 
gave  its  approbation  in  a  most  emphatic  way,  but  authorized 
the  Board  to  solicit  contributions  for  its  furtherance,  which 
hitherto  had  not  been  done.  So  that  the  Bible  department 
of  the  present  Sunday-school  Board  stands  for  the  Bible  work 
of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  conducted  in  connection 
with  its  Sunday-school  enterprise. 


246  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 

BOOK    AND    TRACT    PUBLICATION. 

In  the  appointment  of  the  present  Sunday-school  Board, 
the  Convention  created  a  new  publishing  agency,  under  whose 
management  its  Sunday-school  periodicals  have  been  greatly 
improved  from  time  to  time,  have  increased  immensely  in 
circulation,  and  have  become  a  mighty  factor  for  usefulness. 

In  the  early  spring  of  1898,  the  Board  went  a  step  in  ad- 
vance of  all  its  former  work,  even  beyond  the  instructions 
under  which  it  was  operating,  and  published  its  first  book, 
"The  Story  of  Yates,  the  Missionary,"  by  Dr.  Charles  E. 
Taylor,  of  North  Carolina.  This  new  venture  was  fully  set 
out  in  its  report  to  the  Convention  in  the  session  at  Norfolk 
the  following  May,  and  was  unanimously  approved  and 
heartily  commended.  Moreover,  the  Convention  author- 
ized the  Board  to  go  forward  in  the  publication  of  books  and 
tracts  in  such  way  as  it  might  be  able  and  so  took  a  decided 
step  in  the  enlargement  of  its  publishing  agency.  This  first 
book  has  been  followed  by  others,  and  by  a  large  number  of 
tracts. 

SUCCESS    OF    THE    ENTERPRISE. 

Growth  has  been  slow  in  all  our  Southern  institutions, 
coming  oftentimes  after  long  struggles  and  painful  waiting. 
No  part  of  the  Convention's  work  has  escaped,  or  has  had  a 
different  history.  It  was  a  sore  struggle  in  the  face  of  great 
odds,  an  effort  by  noble  men  to  maintain  great  principles,  to 
lay  the  foundations  for  future  ages  and  to  use  what  God  had 
given  them  for  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom.  They  were 
often  disappointed,  often  failed,  often  held  in  abeyance  even 
through  many  years,  often  finding  opposition  where  they 
should  have  found  sympathy  and  co-operation,  but  they 
never  gave  up  or  abandoned  the  lines  on  which  they  had  pro- 
jected their  hopes  and  plans.  As  it  went  with  other  things, 
so  also  it  had  gone  hitherto  with  the  Convention's  efforts  at 
publication  and  Sunday-school  advancement.  In  many  re- 
spects it  was  a  sad  and  trying  period.  But  a  brighter  day 
dawned.  The  movement  inaugurated  at  Birmingham,  1891, 
while  a  movement  first  and  foremost  for  the  Sunday-school 
cause,  involved  other  matters  of  tremendous  moment.  It 
was  a  revival  of  the  undertaking  of  other  years,  a  gathering 
up  of  the  broken  threads  of  history,  an  old  work  projected 
on  new  lines  with  a  surer  basis  and  a  more  open  future.  Its 
success  has  far  surpassed  the  largest  expectations  of  those  who 
were  most  sanguine,  and  should  gladden  the  hearts  of  Baptists 
everywhere.      In  the  Ninth  Annual  Report  of  the  Sunday- 


SOUTHERN  247 

school  Board,  presented  to  the  Convention  at  Hot  Springs, 
Ark.,  1900,  may  be  found  the  following  summary  for  nine 
years,  as  to  what  has  been  done  in  a  money  way,  over  and 
above  the  expenses  of  the  enterprise  :  Gifts  in  Bibles,  books, 
tracts,  and  periodicals,  ^34,719.61  ;  boxes  for  Sunday-school 
missionaries  (three  years),  $8,468.53  ;  cash  to  Home  and 
Foreign  Boards  (missionary  day),  $21,891.30  ;  cash  to  Sun- 
day-school missions  (through  State  Boards),  $20,369.55  ; 
expended  for  other  denominational  interests,  $6,182.91; 
purchase  of  house  (all  paid  for),  $10,621.99;  invested  re- 
serve fund,  $30,000;  cash  balance  on  hand,  $1,630.68; 
other  assets,  $10,649.97  ;  total  for  nine  years,  $144,634.54. 
The  year  now  current,  1901,  will  show  a  very  large  advance 
on  every  one  of  these  figures,  and  promises  to  make  this, 
the  last  year  of  its  first  decade,  by  far  the  best  in  the  history 
of  the  Board. 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL    CONDITION. 

Our  present  Sunday-school  condition  is  not  easily  described, 
and  it  is  almost  impossible  to  trace  it  back  to  its  beginning 
when  Sunday-schools  first  began  to  be  among  our  Baptist 
churches.  Statistics  hitherto  have  been  very  meagre,  but 
efforts  are  all  the  while  being  made  to  make  these  more  com- 
plete so  as  to  furnish  a  more  satisfactory  basis.  The  "Con- 
vention Annual  for  1900,"  made  up  from  the  figures  of  1899, 
shows  among  white  Baptist  churches  of  the  South,  9,711 
Sunday-schools,  with  an  enrollment  of  636,944  officers, 
teachers,  and  pupils.  There  are  many  reasons  for  beheving 
that  all  these  figures  will  be  larger  when  our  information  is 
better.  The  condition  is  much  more  advanced  in  some 
States  than  in  others,  but  needs  betterment  in  all. 

The  Sunday-school  Board  for  nine  years,  and  now  passing 
through  the  tenth,  has  been  making  preparation  for  the 
future  and  laying  its  plans  for  advancement.  All  its  forces 
converge  toward  the  central  idea  of  Sunday-school  improve- 
ment. Its  periodical-making,  its  Bible  distribution,  its  book 
and  tract  publishing,  its  industrial  power  as  a  business  con- 
cern, everything  will  be  made  subservient  and  effective  in 
giving  to  the  Baptists  of  the  South  a  better  Sunday-school 
condition. 

THE    LINES    OF    ADVANCE. 

The  Sunday-school  should  be  made  the  most  effective  pos- 
sible for  the  high  ends  which  it  holds  in  contemplation.  We 
have  numbers,  we  need  greater  efficiency.     We  need  to  have 


248  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 

all  the  forces  marshaled  on  the  field  of  action.  Our  lines 
of  advance  should  carry  at  least  four  distinct  features  into 
Sunday-school  work. 

1.  It  should  lead  more  and  more  to  a  better  Bible  study. 
It  should  rouse  the  desire  of  God's  people  to  know  his  word. 
Much  has  been  done  in  tlie  past  for  this  high  end  and  we 
will  advance  it  further.  Never  in  the  world's  history  has 
there  been  such  a  study  of  the  Bible  as  now, — study  so  wide- 
spread, so  devout  and  earnest,  so  intelligent  and  compre- 
hensive. This  has  come  from  several  causes,  but  among 
them  the  Sunday-school  holds  almost  the  chief  place.  Some 
have  proposed  to  change  its  name  to  the  Bible-school.  This 
is  proof  of  its  growing  singleness  of  aim  as  to  text-book,  but 
would  add  nothing  to  its  power.  Not  change  of  name,  but 
emphasis  of  purpose,  is  what  should  be  sought.  The  school 
that  gets  the  best  Bible  study  has  gained  one  chief  point  of 
excellence. 

2.  There  is  growing  need  of  emphasis  in  denominational 
teaching.  There  is  need  to  widen  the  denominational  vision 
and  deepen  the  denominational  conviction.  As  Baptists,  we 
need  to  be  Baptists.  That  term,  in  our  thinking,  is  the 
highest  expression  of  the  highest  truth.  It  is  a  rounded, 
symmetrical,  comprehensive  term,  needing  neither  prefixes 
nor  suffixes.  We  perhaps  have  enough  of  the  name,  but  we 
need  more  of  the  great  things  it  stands  for.  We  need  a 
people  who  are  Baptists  in  their  beliefs  as  to  doctrine,  in 
their  experience  and  sentiment,  in  their  church  hfe  and 
Christian  activities.  We  want  the  living  truth  in  living 
form. 

3.  Training  for  higher  grade  of  church-membership.  For 
this  reason  the  entire  membership,  as  far  as  possible,  should 
be  brought  under  the  influence  of  the  Sunday-school.  Here 
the  Home  Department  may  be  made  very  effective  in  reach- 
ing those  whose  attendance  cannot  be  secured.  Let  us  get  a 
fresh  emphasis  of  church-membership.  Train  for  it  in  the 
Sunday-school  as  we  train  for  citizenship  in  the  day-school, 
and  herein  we  will  develop  strength  which  will  be  mighty  in 
God's  hands  for  giving  Christ  to  the  world  and  bringing  the 
world  to  Christ. 

4.  The  Sunday-school  should  be  held  more  and  more  as 
an  evangelizing  power.  Failure  here  is  almost  failure  through- 
out. It  is  important  to  have  the  Sunday-school  rightly 
placed  in  the  Christian  programme.  It  is  fatal  to  stop  mid- 
way of  the  Commission.  We  must  insist  on  all  nations  as  the 
scope  of  our  field  and  all  the  commandments  as  the  scope  of 


SOUTHERN  249 

our  obedience — discipling,  baptizing,  and  teaching.  Ad- 
vance on  these  hnes  will  make  our  people  great,  bringing  on 
a  church  condition  which  will  be  as  beautiful  garments  to 
Zion,  tell  for  all  the  future  in  establishing  Christ's  kingdom 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  make  the  twentieth  cen- 
tury the  crowning  glory  of  the  ages. 

J.  M.  Frost. 


XVIII 


AMERICAN  BAPTIST  NEWSPAPER  AND  PERIOD- 
ICAL PRESS 


PART  I 
NORTHERN  AND  NORTHWESTERN 

Baptist  journalism  dates  from  1790,  when  the  first  period- 
ical devoted  especially  to  the  spread  of  Baptist  principles, 
"  The  Baptist  Annual  Register,"  was  established  in  England 
by  Dr.  John  Rippon,  the  successor  of  the  great  Dr.  John  Gill 
as  pastor  of  the  church  at  Horsleydown,  Southwark,  London. 
The  "Register"  pubhshed  contributions  from  American  as 
well  as  English  writers,  and  seems  to  have  sufficed  for  the 
needs  of  American  Baptists  until  the  opening  of  the  new 
century. 

But  hardly  had  the  nineteenth  century  dawned  before 
the  first  of  a  long  line  of  American  Baptist  periodicals  was 
ushered  into  the  world.  In  September,  1803,  appeared  the 
initial  number  of  the  "Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary 
Magazine,"  issued  under  the  auspices  of  the  Massachusetts 
Baptist  Missionary  Society,  which  had  been  organized  in  May 
of  the  previous  year.  It  is  a  matter  of  peculiar  interest  that 
it  was  for  the  purpose  of  spreading  missionary  intelligence 
among  the  people  that  our  first  journalistic  enterprise  was 
undertaken.  Sixteen  years  later,  in  18 19,  the  first  weekly 
Baptist  newspaper,  "The  Christian  Watchman,"  was  estab- 
lished, and  it  is  worthy  of  note  that,  while  the  course  of  Bap- 
tist journalism  during  the  century  has  been  marked  by  many 
vicissitudes  of  fortune,  resulting  in  the  extinction  or  the  ab- 
sorption by  others  of  not  a  few  promising  ventures,  the  two 
earliest  of  our  periodicals  still  survive,  the  monthly,  as 
"The  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine,"  the  weekly,  as  "The 
Watchman. ' ' 

I.    OUR    MISSIONARY    PUBLICATIONS. 

The  Baptist  General  Convention  for  Missionary  Purposes, 
known   as   the  "Triennial   Convention,"  organized  in  Phil- 
250 


NORTHERN    AND    NORTHWESTERN  25  I 

adelphia,  May,  1814,  in  1817  adopted  the  ''Massachu- 
setts Baptist  Missionary  Magazine,"  as  its  official  organ, 
changing  the  name  to  "  The  American  Baptist  Magazine." 
The  magazine  appeared  at  first  bi-monthly,  and  afterward 
monthly.  It  was  devoted  to  general  denominational  interests, 
including  foreign  missionary  and  otlier  religious  intelligence 
and  essays  on  critical,  theological,  and  practical  religious 
topics.  In  1835,  owing  to  the  increase  of  Baptist  newspapers, 
it  was  decided  to  confine  it  wholly  to  missionary  inteUigence, 
and  this  has  continued  to  be  its  character  to  the  present  time. 
In  1836  the  name  was  changed  to  that  which  it  now  bears, 
"The  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine. "  It  is  an  ably  conducted 
journal,  and  ranks  among  the  best  publications  of  its  class. 

In  1842  the  Triennial  Convention,  realizing  the  need  of  a 
lower-priced  and  more  popular  periodical  than  the  "Maga- 
zine," began  the  pubUcation  of  "The  Macedonian  and 
Record,"  an  eight-page  journal  which  reached  a  circulation 
of  from  20,000  to  25,000.  In  1845,  owing  probably  to  the 
poor  mail  facihties  and  the  high  cost  of  periodical  postage  at 
that  time,  an  edition  was  pul)lished  in  Cincinnati  as  well  as  at 
the  headquarters  in  Boston.  While  under  the  general  direc- 
tion of  the  society,  "The  IMacedonian  "  was  at  first  issued 
under  contract,  but  in  185 1  was  purchased  by  the  Missionary 
Union,  by  which  it  was  published  until  January,  1877,  when 
its  long  career  was  terminated. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  Woman's  Baptist  Missionary 
Societies,  with  headquarters  at  Boston  and  Chicago,  in  1871, 
an  arrangement  was  made  with  the  Missionary  Union  by 
which  four  of  the  eight  pages  of  "The  Macedonian"  were 
devoted  to  the  work  of  the  women's  societies,  under  the  title 
of  "The  Helping  Hand,"  three  pages  to  the  Missionary 
Union,  and  one  to  the  children  under  the  name  of  "The 
Little  Helpers."  After  the  discontinuance  of  "The  Mace- 
donian" the  women's  societies  continued  "The  Helping 
Hand"  as  an  eight-page  paper,  with  one  page  still  devoted 
to  the  children  under  the  same  title  as  before.  In  1883 
"The  Little  Helpers"  began  to  be  issued  in  separate  form 
as  a  paper  for  children,  but  was  discontinued  in  1888,  when 
the  women's  societies  started  a  new  paper,  called  "The 
King's  Messengers,"  for  Sunday-schools,  with  one  page  de- 
voted to  "Little  Helpers."  "The  Helping  Hand"  is  still 
in  existence  as  the  organ  of  the  four  women's  missionary  so- 
cieties, having  headquarters  at  Boston,  Chicago,  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  Portland,  Ore.  In  1890  the  name  of  "  The  King's 
Messenger"  was  changed  to   "Around  the  AVorld,"  w-hich 


252        BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

is  published  jointly  by  the  Woman's  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety, of  Boston,  and  the  Missionary  Union,  as  was  ' '  The 
King's  Messenger"  for  several  years  before  the  change  of 
name. 

In  September,  1887,  in  response  to  a  demand  for  a  cheap 
and  popular  missionary  periodical,  the  publication  was  begun 
of  "The  Kingdom,"  a  small,  four-page  paper,  in  which  is 
given  a  condensed  account  of  the  current  missionary  news  of 
the  world,  with  special  reference  to  our  Baptist  missions.  It 
soon  obtained  the  largest  circulation  of  any  of  our  missionary 
periodicals,  which  still  continues. 

"The  Baptist  Home  Mission  Monthly,"  now  in  its  twenty- 
second  year,  is  issued  by  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society,  under  the  editorial  supervision  of  the  corresponding 
secretary.  It  usually  contains  about  thirty-two  pages  of  read- 
ing matter,  and  about  11,000  copies  are  issued.  It  aims  to 
give  from  month  to  month  fresh  information  from  all  the 
varied  missionary  fields  and  schools  where  the  society  is  car- 
rying on  its  work.  It  publishes  also  articles  on  special  topics, 
carefully  prepared  by  experts,  so  that  it  is  not  only  a  source 
of  information  but  of  inspiration  as  well.  Many  of  these 
articles  are  of  permanent  value. 

Among  the  early  pubHcations  in  the  interest  of  missions 
was  "The  Luminary,"  a  magazine  estabhshed  in  Philadel- 
phia in  18 18,  by  the  Rev.  Luther  Rice,  who  was  under  ap- 
pointment as  a  missionary  to  Burma,  but  was  detained  in  this 
country  for  a  time  to  labor  among  the  churches.  It  was 
issued  five  times  a  year  for  about  three  years. 

II.    WEEKLY    NEWSPAPERS. 

The  first  of  these,  as  already  noted,  was  established  in  the 
year  1819,  in  Boston,  Mass.  Its  first  editor  was  John  E. 
Weston,  the  father  of  Henry  G.  Weston,  d.  d.  ,  the  honored 
president  of  Crozer  Theological  Seminary.  The  second  editor 
was  Deacon  James  Loring,  whose  service  covered  a  period 
of  fifteen  years.  The  third  was  Rev.  B.  F.  Farnsworth,  who 
retired  within  a  few  months,  and  was  succeeded,  in  1834,  by 
Ebenezer  Thresher,  ll.  d.  ,  who  also  became  its  proprietor 
in  1836.  Two  years  later  he  relinquished  the  editorial  chair 
to  Rev.  WiUiam  Crowell,  who  held  the  position  for  ten  years. 

During  this  period  a  rival  Baptist  journal  was  established 
in  Worcester,  Mass.,  called  "The  Christian  Reflector,"  with 
Cyrus  Grovenor  as  editor.  In  1842  the  "Reflector"  was 
removed  to  Boston,  where,  under  the  editorial  management 
of  Rev.  H.  A.  Graves,   it  attained  a  large  circulation,   out- 


NORTHERN  AND  NORTHWESTERN         253 

Stripping  tliat  of  "The  Christian  Watchman."  Before  long, 
however,  the  "Reflector"  passed  into  the  hands  of  Rev. 
Messrs.  J.  W.  Ohiistead  and  WilUam  Hague,  and  in  1848  a 
union  of  the  two  papers  was  effected  under  the  name  of 
"The  Watchman  and  Reflector."  Doctor  Olmstead  became 
sole  proprietor  and  editor  in  1867,  and  so  continued  until 
1877,  when  the  paper  now  known  as  "The  Watchman," 
passed  into  other  hands,  and  Lucius  E.  Smith,  D.  D. ,  who 
had  long  been  on  the  editorial  staff  of  "  The  Examiner,"  was 
called  to  the  editorial  chair.  In  1891  George  E.  Horr,  d.  d., 
became  editor-in-chief,  and  still  (1901)  holds  that  position. 
Under  its  present  management — as,  indeed,  has  been  the 
case  during  most  of  its  long  history — "The  Watchman" 
ranks  among  the  ablest  and  most  influential  of  the  weekly  re- 
ligious periodicals  of  America. 

The  next  venture  in  Baptist  w^eekly  journalism  was  made 
in  1822,  when  "  The  Columbian  Star  "  was  founded  by  Rev. 
Luther  Rice  in  Washington,  D.  C.  It  was  subsequently  re- 
moved to  Philadelphia,  and  thence  to  Atlanta,  Ga. ,  where 
as  "The  Christian  Index,"  it  still  survives. 

In  the  same  year,  February  2,  the  first  number  of  the 
"Christian  Secretary"  was  issued  at  Hartford,  Conn.,  as 
the  organ  of  the  Connecticut  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 
Two  years  later  it  was  transferred  to  the  Connecticut  Baptist 
State  Convention,  which  was  organized  in  1823.  In  1829  it 
was  presented  to  the  "  Christian  Secretary  Association,"  by 
which  it  was  conducted  until  1837,  w-hen  it  was  united  with 
"The  Gospel  Witness,"  a  paper  published  in  New  York. 
This  arrangement  was  distasteful  to  the  Connecticut  brethren, 
and  the  following  year  the  Rev.  Elisha  Cushman,  who  had 
been  the  first  editor, — serving  two  years, — revived  the  "Chris- 
tian Secretary,"  of  which  he  became  editor  and  proprietor. 
On  his  death,  in  October,  1838,  his  son,  the  Rev.  Elisha 
Cushman,  Jr.,  succeeded  him  and  continued  in  control  until 
1840.  For  the  next  twenty-one  years  it  was  edited  and  pub- 
lished by  Mr.  Normand  Burr,  part  of  the  time  (i 840-1 850) 
in  association  with  Walter  S.  WiUiams  and  Almond  A.  Smith. 
Mr.  Burr  died  in  December,  1861,  and  Mr.  Cushman,  who 
had  become  associate  editor  in  July  of  that  year,  became 
editor  and  proprietor,  and  so  continued  until  his  death  in 
January,  1876.  Sylvanus  Dryden  Phelps,  d.  d.  ,  then  be- 
came editor  and  proprietor,  and  on  his  death,  was  succeeded 
by  Rev.  C.  A.  Piddock,  by  whom  it  was  conducted  till  in 
April,  1896,  it  w'as  consolidated  with  "  The  Examiner." 

Late   in  1823,  or  early  in   1824,  the  "New  York  Baptist 


2  54        BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

Register"  was  established  in  Utica  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Willey, 
Lathrop,  and  Galusha,  who  edited  it  in  turn.  There  seems 
to  be  some  uncertainty  as  to  the  date  of  the  first  issue,  and 
it  is  possible  that  the  first  few  numbers  appeared  at  irregular 
intervals.  If  this  was  not  the  case  the  numbering  of  subse- 
quent issues  indicates  that  the  first  number  was  issued  March 
I,  1824.  The  paper  soon  passed  into  the  possession  of  the 
New  York  Baptist  State  Convention,  with  Alexander  M. 
Beebee,  Esq.,  a  lawyer,  as  editor.  The  "Register"  was 
subsequently  united  with  the  "New  York  Recorder,"  the 
continuation  of  "The  Baptist  Advocate,"  founded  in  1839. 
The  name  of  the  latter  was  changed  to  the  "  Recorder  "  in 
1845,  when  Sewall  S.  Cutting,  d.  d.  ,  became  the  editor.  In 
February,  1850,  the  "Recorder"  was  purchased  by  Prof 
Martin  B.  Anderson,  of  Waterville  (now  Colby)  College, 
Maine,  and  James  S.  Dickerson,  D.  D. ,  Doctor  Cutting  retir- 
ing from  the  editorship.  In  1853,  when  Doctor  Anderson 
became  president  of  the  University  of  Rochester,  the  "Re- 
corder" was  sold  to  Rev.  Luther  F.  Beecher,  and  Doc- 
tor Cutting  again  became  editor.  The  "Register,"  then 
owned  by  Andrew  Ten  Brook,  d.  d.  ,  and  still  pubhshed  at 
Utica,  was  soon  afterward  united  with  it,  under  the  name 
of  the  "New  York  Recorder  and  Register,"  with  Doctors 
Cutting  and  Ten  Brook  as  editors.  In  June,  1855,  Edward 
Bright,  D.  D. ,  who  had  been  for  the  previous  nine  years  the 
home  secretary  of  the  Missionary  Union,  and  Doctor  Cutting 
purchased  the  "Recorder  and  Register,"  and  changed  the 
name  to  "The  Examiner."  The  following  year  Doctor 
Cutting  was  elected  to  a  professorship  in  the  University  of 
Rochester,  and  Doctor  Bright  became  sole  editor,  and  so 
remained  until  his  death  in  May,  1894.  A  year  or  two  before 
his  death,  however.  Doctor  Bright  practically  rehnquished  his 
editorial  duties  to  Rev.  Henry  C.  Vedder,  who  had  been  a 
member  of  the  staff  since  1876,  and  who  continued  in  charge 
until  December,  1894,  when  he  resigned  to  accept  the  pro- 
fessorship of  church  history  in  Crozer  Theological  Seminary, 
and  was  succeeded  by  the  present  writer,  who  had  been  a 
regular  contributor  to  the  paper — though  engaged  in  other 
business  also — for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  on 
the  staff  since  the  fall  of  1893.  With  him  were  associated 
Mr.  Edward  Bright,  a  son  of  Doctor  Bright,  and  as  hereafter 
noted,  H.  L.  Wayland,  d.  d.  In  March,  1895,  on  the  con- 
solidation of  "The  Christian  Inquirer"  with  "The  Exam- 
iner," John  B.  Calvert,  d.  d.  ,  editor  of  the  former  paper,  be- 
came a  member  of  the  editorial  corps  of  "The  Examiner." 


NORTHERN  AND  NORTHWESTERN         255 

"  Zion's  Advocate,"  of  Portland,  Me.,  was  founded  by 
Adam  Wilson,  d.  d.  ,  long  prominent  among  Maine  Bap- 
tists. The  first  number  was  issued  in  the  city  where  it 
is  still  published,  November  ii,  1828,  with  Doctor  Wilson  as 
editor.  It  was  a  small  sheet,  as  were  all  the  weeklies  of  that 
period,  with  four  pages  and  five  columns  on  a  page.  In 
1838  Doctor  Wilson  accepted  a  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  in  Bangor,  and  Mr.  (afterward  Rev. 
Dr.)  Joseph  Ricker  took  his  place  as  editor,  holding  the 
position  from  May,  1839,  to  December  27,  1842.  Doctor 
Wilson  then  resumed  control  of  the  paper,  with  Rev.  Lewis 
Colby,  pastor  of  the  Free  Street  Baptist  Church,  of  Portland, 
as  associate  editor.  Mr.  Colby  retired  August  8,  1843. 
July  19,  1848,  Doctor  Wilson  sold  the  paper  to  Mr.  S.  K. 
Smith,  who  had  just  graduated  from  the  Newton  Theological 
Institution.  In  1850  the  "Advocate"  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Mr.  John  B.  Foster,  a  recent  graduate  of  Newton. 
In  the  summer  of  that  year  Mr.  Foster  was  elected  to  a  pro- 
fessorship in  Waterville  College,  and  sold  the  paper  to  Wil- 
liam H.  Shailer,  d.  d.  ,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church 
in  Portland,  who  retained  it,  with  Mr.  J.  W.  Colcord  as 
assistant  editor,  until  October  15,  1873,  when  it  passed 
into  the  hands  of  H.  S.  Burrage,  d.  d.  ,  as  editor  and  pro- 
prietor, and  it  still  is  under  his  care  and  direction.  Enlarged 
from  time  to  time,  it  has  done  for  nearly  three-quarters  of  a 
century  a  service  for  the  Baptists  of  Maine  for  which  in  all 
the  stages  of  its  history  they  have  been  profoundly  grateful. 

The  next  of  our  denominational  weekhes  to  be  estabhshed 
was  "The  Journal  and  Messenger,"  published  at  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  which  grew  out  of  a  conviction  that  a  medium 
of  communication  was  needed  between  the  Baptist  churches 
of  Ohio.  Two  Cincinnati  Baptists,  Noble  S.  Johnson  and 
Ephraim  Robbins,  who  had  been  foremost  in  the  organization 
of  the  State  Convention  in  1826,  sent  to  Reading,  Mass., 
and  persuaded  John  Stevens,  a  graduate  of  Brown  Univer- 
sity, and  at  that  time  engaged  in  teaching,  to  go  to  Cincin- 
nati to  edit  the  proposed  paper.  The  Convention  approved, 
and  the  first  number  of  "The  Baptist  Weekly  Journal  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley  "  was  issued  July  22,  1831.  Several  years 
later,  a  paper  called  "The  Cross,"  published  at  Frankfort, 
Ky. ,  was  combined  with  the  "  Journal,"  the  name  being 
changed  to  "The  Cross  and  Baptist  Journal  of  the  Missis- 
sippi," by  which  it  was  known  for  a  decade  or  more.  In 
1838,  after  a  service  of  seven  years,  Mr.  Stevens  resigned  to 
accept  a  professorship  in  Granville  College,  and  Rev.  George 


256       BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

Cole  became  the  owner  and  editor.  He  removed  the  paper 
to  Cokuiibus,  the  capital  of  the  State,  and  soon  afterward 
Rev.  David  A.  Randall,  pastor  of  the  First  Church  there, 
became  associated  with  him  as  editor  and  proprietor.  In 
1847  Mr.  Randall  acquired  Mr.  Cole's  interest,  and  asso- 
ciated with  himself  Rev,  J.  L.  Batchelder  and  changed  the 
name  to  "The  Western  Christian  Journal,"  the  first  issue 
under  the  new  name  bearing  date  April  16,  1847.  On  De- 
cember 21,  1849,  Mr.  Randall  retired  and  Mr.  Batchelder 
became  sole  editor  and  proprietor.  Meantime,  an  Indiana 
State  paper  called  "The  Christian  Messenger"  was  main- 
taining a  precarious  existence,  and  it  was  decided  to  unite  it 
with  "  The  Journal,"  under  the  name  by  which  the  united 
paper  has  since  been  called,  "  The  Journal  and  Messenger," 
the  first  issue  of  which  appeared  December  21,  1849.  Mr.  , 
Batchelder  removed  the  paper  back  to  Cincinnati.  In  1856.' 
he  transferred  it  to  "The  Central  Baptist  Press  Company," 
which  had  been  organized  for  its  purchase,  and  Mr.  Cole  was 
recalled  to  the  editorship  and  management  of  the  paper. 
He  was  succeeded  in  1864  by  Rev.  T.  J.  Mellish,  and 
soon  afterward  J.  R.  Stone,  D.  D. ,  of  Fort  Wayne,  Ind., 
became  corresponding  editor  for  that  State,  continuing  as 
such  until  1874.  In  1872  Rev.  J.  R.  Baumes  succeeded 
Mr.  Melhsh,  and  soon  afterward  Rev.  W.  N.  Wyeth  became 
associated  with  him  as  editor.  About  this  time  "  The  Baptist 
Missionary,"  published  at  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  was  incor- 
porated with  "The  Journal  and  Messenger."  In  July, 
1875,  George  W.  Lasher,  d.  d. ,  secretary  of  the  Bap- 
tist Education  Society  of  the  State  of  New  York,  pur- 
chased the  entire  stock  of  the  Central  Baptist  Press  Com- 
pany and  became  sole  owner  and  editor  of  the  paper.  In 
1887,  Rev.  Grover  P.  Osborne,  then  a  pastor  in  Toledo, 
Ohio,  acquired  a  half-interest  and  became  joint  editor  and 
publisher,  an  arrangement  which  still  continues.  Besides 
its  Indiana  and  Ohio  constituency,  "The  Journal  and  Mes- 
senger" has  a  considerable  circulation  in  West  Virginia  and 
western  Pennsylvania. 

The  excellent  weekly  now  known  as  "The  Christian  Her- 
ald," the  Baptist  State  paper  of  Michigan,  published  at  De- 
troit, is  a  revival  of  a  journal  established  in  184 1,  in  accord- 
ance with  a  resolution  adopted  by  the  State  Convention  in 
1837.  This  paper,  "The  Michigan  Christian  Herald,"  was 
pubhshed  monthly  at  Detroit,  with  Rev.  A.  Ten  Brook  as 
editor,  and  Messrs.  R.  C.  Smith  and  S.  M.  Kendrick  as  pub- 
lishing committee.      In  1845  it  became  a  weekly,  Rev,  Miles 


NORTHERN  AND  NORTHWESTERN         2  57 

Sandford,  Mr.  Ten  Brook's  associate,  having  then  become 
sole  editor.  He  was  succeeded  in  1846  by  Rev.  James 
Inglis.  The  paper  was  tlien  sold  by  the  Convention  to  Mr. 
O.  S.  Gulley,  of  Detroit,  and  by  him  in  1848  to  Rev.  Marvin 
Allen,  who  continued  its  publication  until  his  death  in  1861. 
During  this  period  and  for  two  years  longer,  Rev.  G.  W. 
Harris  was  the  editor.  After  his  retirement  in  1863  the 
prosperity  of  the  paper  declined,  and  in  1867  it  was  merged 
with  the  "Christian  Times  and  Witness,"  of  Chicago,  which 
thereupon  took  the  name  of  "The  Standard."  Soon  after- 
ward Rev.  L.  H.  Trowbridge,  Avho  had  become  financial 
agent  of  Kalamazoo  College,  and  had  already  begun  the  pub- 
lication of  "The  Torchlight"  as  an  organ  through  which  to 
speak  directly  to  the  churches,  decided  to  undertake  the  re- 
issue of  "The  Christian  Herald."  Doctor  Trowbridge  and 
his  wife  became  joint  partners  in  the  enterprise,  both  as  pro- 
prietors and  editors,  and  received  the  reward  of  their  faith 
and  devotion  in  the  establishment  of  the  paper  on  a  firm 
financial  basis.  It  is  now  one  of  the  best  of  our  State  denom- 
inational journals. 

August  31,  1853,  was  the  date  of  the  first  number  of  "The 
Christian  Times, ' '  published  in  Chicago,  111. ,  and  now  known 
as  "The  Standard."  Previous  to  that  time  two  journalistic 
ventures  had  been  undertaken  at  Chicago,  the  first  the 
"  Northwestern  Baptist,"  a  small  paper  published  fortnightly 
from  1842  to  1844,  the  second  the  "Watchman  of  the 
Prairies,"  owned  and  edited  by  Rev.  Luther  Stone,  which 
was  published  for  five  and  a  half  years,  from  August,  1847, 
to  February,  1853.  "The  Christian  Times,"  which  succeeded 
the  "  Watchman  of  the  Prairies,"  six  months  after  the  latter 
had  ceased  to  exist,  was  started  by  a  committee  of  the  Chicago 
Baptist  Association,  and  was  edited  for  about  three  months 
by  an  "Association  of  Clergymen."  In  November,  1853, 
the  paper  was  transferred  to  Rev.  Leroy  Church  and  Justin 
A.  Smith,  D.  D. ,  as  editors  and  proprietors.  In  January,  1857, 
Mr.  Goodman  became  one  of  the  proprietors,  the  firm  name 
being  changed  to  Church  &  Goodman,  Doctor  Smith  con- 
tinuing as  editor-in-chief  until  his  death,  February  4,  1896. 
In  1867,  "The  Witness,"  of  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  was  merged 
with  "The  Christian  Times,"  the  two  names  being  united  in 
the  title.  The  same  year,  on  the  consolidation  of  the  "  Mich- 
igan Christian  Herald"  with  "The  Christian  Times  and 
Witness,"  the  name  was  changed  to  "The  Standard."  In 
January,  1875,  Mr.  Church  retired,  his  share  being  purchased 
by  James  S.  Dickerson,  d.  d.     The  firm  name  was  changed  to 

R 


258        BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

that  of  Goodman  &  Dickerson,  Doctor  Dickerson  also  be- 
coming associate  editor.  His  death  occurred  in  less  than  a 
year,  however  (March,  1876),  and  his  interest  in  the  paper 
passed  to  his  widow,  Mrs.  Emma  Richardson  Dickerson.  A 
few  years  later  her  son,  Mr.  J.  Spencer  Dickerson,  became  a 
third  proprietor,  and  in  May,  1895,  managing  editor.  The 
proprietorship  is  still  (190 1)  vested  in  their  hands.  "The 
Standard"  has  long  been  the  leading  Baptist  journal  of  the 
Northwest. 

The  "  New  York  Chronicle"  was  established  in  1840  by 
Rev.  Orrin  B.  Judd,  ll.  d.  It  was  at  first  issued  as  a  monthly, 
and  was  especially  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  American 
Bible  Union,  a  society  organized  to  procure  and  publish 
faithful  translations  of  the  Bible  in  Enghsh  and  foreign  tongues. 
In  1850  it  Avas  changed  to  a  weekly.  Three  or  four  years 
later  it  was  purchased  by  Jay  S.  Backus,  d.  d.  ,  and  in  Jan- 
uary, 1856,  Pharcellus  Church,  D.  D. ,  who  had  been  asso- 
ciated with  Doctor  Backus  as  editor  and  proprietor  for  a  year, 
acquired,  with  his  sons,  the  sole  ownership  of  the  paper.  In 
1863  the  "Christian  Chronicle,"  of  Philadelphia,  edited  by 
J.  S.  Dickerson,  d.  d.  ,  w^as  bought  by  Doctor  Church,  who 
continued  as  editor  until  March,  1865,  when  a  union  was 
effected  with  "The  Examiner,"  under  the  name  of  "The 
Examiner  and  Chronicle,"  with  Doctor  Bright  as  sole  editor. 
A  few  years  later  Doctor  Bright  acquired  a  controUing  in- 
terest in  the  paper,  which  is  still  retained  by  his  family.  In 
1868  a  small  paper,  "The  Christian  Press,"  published  in 
New  York  by  the  Rev.  W.  B.  Jacobs,  was  acquired  by  "The 
Examiner  and  Chronicle,"  and  in  1875  "  The  Outlook,"  a 
small  paper  issued  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ,  was  merged  in  it. 

The  "American  Baptist,"  the  name  given  to  a  paper 
formed  by  the  union  of  "The  Christian  Contributor"  and 
"The  Western  Christian," — the  latter,  founded  in  Illinois  in 
1845  as  an  organ  of  the  American  Baptist  Free  Mission  So- 
ciety,— was  published  for  some  years  at  Utica,  N.  Y. ,  under 
the  editorial  charge  of  the  Rev.  Warham  Walker.  In  1857 
it  was  removed  to  New  York  City,  and  Nathan  Brown,  d.  d., 
the  well-known  missionary,  who  had  returned  two  years  be- 
fore from  a  service  of  twenty  years  in  Assam,  became  asso- 
ciate editor,  A  year  later  Doctor  Brown  was  appointed 
editor,  with  the  Rev.  John  Duer  as  his  assistant,  and  held 
the  position  till  1872,  when  he  resigned  to  accept  an  appoint- 
ment from  the  Missionary  Union  as  a  missionary  to  Japan. 
In  May  of  that  year  A.  S.  Patton,  D.  d.  ,  of  Utica,  purchased 
the  paper,  changed  the  name  to  "The  Baptist  Weekly,"  and 


NORTHERN  AND  NORTHWESTERN         259 

the  form  from  folio  to  quarto.  With  him  was  associated  Robert 
T.  Middleditch,  d.  d.,  as  assistant  editor.  In  1886  Doctor 
Middleditch  withdrew  from  the  ' '  Baptist  Weekly  ' '  and  started 
"The  Gospel  Age."  Doctor  Patton  died  in  January,  1888, 
and  the  "Weekly"  was  purchased  by  John  B.  Calvert,  d.  d., 
who  changed  the  name  to  "The  Christian  Inquirer,"  the 
first  number  of  which  appeared  February  23,  of  the  same 
year.  "The  Gospel  Age  "  was  merged  into  the  "Inquirer," 
and  its  editor,  Doctor  Middleditch,  became  one  of  the  asso- 
ciate editors  of  the  latter.  Besides  Doctor  Middleditch  there 
were  associated  with  Doctor  Calvert  in  the  editorial  manage- 
ment of  the  paper  Rev.  Drs.  R.  S.  MacArthur,  L.  A.  Crandall, 
and  John  Humpstone.  In  March,  1895,  "The  Christian 
Inquirer"  was  consolidated  with  "The  Examiner,"  and 
Doctor  Calvert  became  one  of  the  editors  of  the  latter  paper. 

In  1865  the  American  Baptist  Pubhcation  Society  received 
the  gift  of  a  fund  for  the  establishment  of  a  weekly  newspa- 
per, and  began  the  publication  of  "The  National  Baptist," 
with  Kendall  Brooks,  d.  d.,  as  editor.  He  was  succeeded 
in  1868  by  Lemuel  Moss,  d.  d.,  who  served  for  four  years, 
and  was  followed,  in  1872,  by  H.  L.  Wayland,  d.  d.,  to 
whom  the  paper  was  subsequently  sold.  In  1894  it  was  pur- 
chased by  "The  Examiner,"  of  which,  as  already  noted, 
Doctor  Wayland  became  one  of  the  editors. 

In  1895,  after  the  purchase  of  "The  National  Baptist"  by 
"The  Examiner,"  J.  S.  James,  d.  d.,  then  pastor  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church,  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  conceived  the  idea 
of  publishing  a  paper  in  Philadelphia  to  take  its  place.  After 
due  canvass  and  consideration  a  stock  company  was  formed 
and  in  November,  1895,  the  first  number  of  "The  Common- 
wealth "  was  issued,  with  Doctor  James  as  editor.  He  con- 
tinued as  such  until  July,  1897,  when  he  resigned,  and  the 
paper  was  edited  by  a  committee.  In  the  spring  of  1898 
it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  L.  M.  Cross,  previously 
associated  with  "The  Evangel,"  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  which 
"The  Commonwealth  "  had  absorbed.  Mr.  Cross  continued 
as  editor  and  proprietor  until  December,  1900,  when  the 
paper  was  sold  by  him  to  The  Harper  and  Brother  Company, 
by  which  it  is  now  (1901)  published.  During  the  adminis- 
tration of  Mr.  Cross  the  name  was  changed  to  "The  Baptist 
Commonwealth,"  which  name  it  still  bears.  No  editor  is 
named. 

Until  1 88 1  the  efforts  to  estabhsh  a  Baptist  paper  in  Indi- 
ana resulted  in  a  series  of  mergers  with  journals  pubhshed 
outside  of  the  State.     But  in  that  year  Rev.  G.  H.  Elgin  and 


26o       BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

Mr.  U.  H.  Chaille  began  the  publication  of  "  The  Indiana 
Baptist,"  which,  under  various  management,  and  witli  its 
name  changed  to  "The  Baptist  Outlook,"  still  continues. 
The  present  editor  is  U.  M.  Chaille,  with  W.  T.  Stott,  ll.  d.  , 
and  W.  C.  Taylor,  d.  d.  ,  as  associate  editors. 

For  the  following  sketch  of  Baptist  journalism  in  the  Pacific 
Northwest  I  am  mainly  indebted  to  President  T.  G.  Brown- 
son,  D.  D. ,  of  Cahfornia  College. 

Previous  to  1873,  he  writes,  there  had  been  various  at- 
tempts to  establish  a  Baptist  paper  for  this  part  of  the  country. 
In  that  year,  Rev.  J.  C.  Baker,  pastor  of  the  church  at  Salem, 
Ore.,  began  the  publication  of  a  monthly,  called  "  The  Bap- 
tist Beacon,"  in  the  interest  of  the  Baptist  Convention  of  the 
North  Pacific  Coast.  After  about  eight  years  "The  Beacon  " 
became  the  property  of  the  Convention.  Rev.  G.  J.  Bur- 
chett  was  editor  for  some  time,  and  was  succeeded  by  J.  Q. 
A.  Henry,  d.  d.  In  1886  Rev.  S.  P.  Davis  became  editor, 
owner,  and  publisher,  and  supplied  the  denomination  with 
an  excellent  paper,  issued  semi-monthly  at  first,  and  later 
weekly,  for  some  four  years,  the  name,  meanwhile,  being 
changed  to  "The  Pacific  Baptist."  Mr.  Davis,  finding  him- 
self unable  to  continue  its  pubhcation,  sold  it  to  the  Pacific 
Baptist  Publishing  Company,  which  was  organized  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  it  over,  and  which  still  owns  it.  For  four 
months  the  pastors  of  Portland,  Ore. ,  and  vicinity,  acted  as 
editors.  In  May,  1898,  Rev.  C.  A.  Wooddy  became  editor, 
and  still  holds  the  position. 

In  1892  "The  Pacific  Baptist"  purchased  "The  Van- 
guard," then  published  at  Seattle,  Wash.  In  1893  "The 
Leader,"  of  Oakland,  Cal. ,  which  had  been  formed  by  the 
consolidation  of  the  "Southern  California  Baptist"  and  "The 
Herald  of  Truth,"  was  acquired  by  "The  Pacific  Baptist." 
In  1899  "The  Baptist  Sentinel,"  a  Landmark  organ,  sus- 
pended pubhcation,  after  a  history  of  some  fifteen  years, 
leaving  "The  Pacific  Baptist"  the  entire  Pacific  coast.  The 
paper  has  had  a  very  encouraging  growth. 

III.    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    PERIODICALS. 

To  the  Baptists  belongs  the  honor  of  estabhshing  the  first 
Sunday-school  paper,  "The  Young  Reaper,"  for  children  in 
the  United  States.  It  was  first  issued  by  the  New  England 
Sabbath-school  Union,  and  in  1856  was  acquired  by  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society.  At  first  a  monthly,  it 
is  now  published  both  as  a  monthly  and  a  semi-monthly.  The 
other  periodicals  issued  by  the  Publication  Society  are  :  "  Our 


NORTHERN  AND  NORTHWESTERN         26 I 

Little  Ones"  (weekly),  "Young  People"  (weekly),  "Boys 
and  Girls"  (weekly),  "Good  Work"  (monthly),  succeeding 
"The  Colporter,"  discontinued,  and  the  various  Sunday- 
school  helps  :  "  The  Baptist  Superintendent,"  the  only  pub- 
lication of  the  kind  in  the  world  ;  the  "Home  Department 
Senior  Quarterly"  and  the  "Home  Department  Advanced 
Quarterly,"  for  the  Home  Department;  "Picture  Lessons," 
little  cards  with  finely  colored  pictures,  issued  quarterly  ; 
"Primary  Lessons,"  "Intermediate  Lessons,"  and  "Bible 
Lessons"  (monthly)  ;  "The  Primary  Quarterly,"  "The  In- 
termediate Quarterly,"  "The  Advanced  Quarterly,"  "The 
Senior  Quarterly,"  and  "The  Baptist  Teacher,"  a  monthly. 
All  of  these  publications  are  ably  edited,  beautifully  ihustrated 
and  printed,  and  have  a  deservedly  wide  circulation.  It  may 
be  said,  without  exaggeration,  that,  taken  together,  they  are 
unequaled  in  number  and  quality  by  the  Sunday-school  pub- 
lications of  any  other  denomination.  Baptists  have  every 
reason  to  be  proud  of  the  superior  excellence  of  their  Sunday- 
school  periodicals. 

IV.     QUARTERLIES. 

"The  Christian  Review,"  the  first  Baptist  quarterly  maga- 
zine, was  founded  in  1836,  with  Rev.  James  Davis  Knowles, 
at  that  time  a  professor  in  Newton  Theological  Institution,  as 
editor.  Doctor  Knowles  held  the  position  until  his  death  in 
May,  1838.  He  was  succeeded  by  Barnas  Sears,  D.  D.  (1838- 
1841),  S.  F.  Smith,  d.  d.  (i 842-1 848),  Rev.  E.  G.  Sears 
(1849),  S.  S.  Cutting,  D.  D.  (1850-1852),  Rev.  Drs.  R. 
Turnbull  and  J.  N.  Murdock  (185 3-1 85 5),  Rev.  J.  J.  Wool- 
sey  (1856),  Rev.  Drs.  Franklin  Wilson  and  G.  B.  Taylor 
(1857-1859),  and  E.  G.  Robinson,  d.  d.  (1860-1863).  It 
was  then  merged  in  the  "  Bibliotheca  Sacra."  In  1867  the 
"Review"  was  revived  by  the  American  Baptist  Publication 
Society  as  "The  Baptist  Quarterly,  '  with  Prof.  Lucius  E. 
Smith  as  editor,  and  Drs.  Alvah  Hovey,  E.  G.  Robinson,  A. 
N.  Arnold,  and  J.  M.  Gregory  as  associates.  In  1869,  at 
the  end  of  the  second  volume,  Henry  G.  Weston,  d.  d.  ,  as- 
sumed the  editorial  control,  remaining  in  charge  until  its 
publication  was  discontinued  at  the  close  of  1877.  Another 
quarterly,  known  as  "The  Baptist  Review,"  was  started  at 
Cincinnati,  in  1879,  by  Rev.  Dr.  J.  R.  Baumes.  With  the 
July  number  of  1885  it  was  transferred  to  New  York,  and 
Rev.  Drs.  Robert  S.  MacArthur  and  Henry  C.  Vedder  be- 
came joint  editors.  At  the  close  of  1889  Doctor  MacArthur 
retired,  and  Doctor  Vedder  continued  as  sole  editor  until  the 


262        BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

end  of  1892,  when  its  publication  ceased.  Thus  closed,  ap- 
parently without  hope  of  resurrection,  the  career  of  the  Bap- 
tist quarterly.  This  is  much  to  be  regretted.  The  magazine, 
under  its  several  names,  had  been  the  vehicle  for  the  publica- 
tion of  many  important  papers  bearing  upon  Baptist  history 
and  polity,  from  the  pens  of  some  of  our  ablest  thinkers. 
Unfortunately,  while  there  is  need,  there  is  apparently  no 
demand  for  such  a  periodical  on  the  part  of  Baptists. 

In  October,  1890,  appeared  the  first  number  of  "The 
Loyalist,"  published  at  Chicago,  and  edited  by  Rev.  O.  W. 
Van  Osdel,  the  originator  of  the  Baptist  Young  Peoples 
Union,  then  known  as  the  "Loyalists,"  and  Rev.  J.  M. 
Coon.  After  eight  issues  had  appeared  the  Publication  So- 
ciety purchased  the  paper,  changed  the  name  to  ' '  Young 
People  at  Work,"  and  appointed  Philip  L.  Jones,  d.  d. ,  con- 
nected with  the  Society's  book  department,  as  editor.  In 
September,  1891,  the  name  was  changed  to  "Young  Peoples' 
Union,"  and  in  November  of  that  year  it  was  repurchased 
by  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union,  transferred  again  to 
Chicago,  and  renamed  in  1894  "The  Baptist  Union."  F. 
L.  Wilkins,  d.  d. ,  secretary  of  the  Baptist  Young  People's 
Union,  became  the  editor  in  1891,  and  was  succeeded  in 
1897  by  Secretary  E.  E.  Chivers,  d.  d.  ,  continuing  until  his 
resignation,  March  i,  1901.  The  paper  is  the  exclusive 
medium  for  the  publication  of  the  Christian  Culture  Courses 
of  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union,  except  as  the  mission- 
ary material  is  also  issued  in  pamphlet  form. 

Thomas  Oakes  Conant. 


PART  II 

SOUTHERN  AND  SOUTHWESTERN 

There  lies  before  me  Volume  I.  of  "The  Georgia  Ana- 
lytical Repository,  by  Henry  Holcombe,  a.  m.,  pastor  of 
the  Baptist  church  in  Savannah.  Savannah  :  Printed  by 
Seymour,  Woolhopter  &  Stebbins.  1802."  Thus  reads  the 
title-page  of  the  first  Baptist  periodical  in  the  South.  It  was 
a  bi-monthly  magazine  of  forty-eight  pages,  the  first  issue 
being  for  "May  and  June,  1802."  It  was  dedicated  to 
"His  excellency,  Josiah  Tatnall,  junior.  Governor  of 
Georgia,"  and    the  periodical    is    in  keeping  with   the    an- 


SOUTHERN  AND  SOUTHWESTERN         263 

nouncenient.  Biographical  sketches,  conversions,  death-bed 
scenes,  accounts  of  religious  movements,  sketches  of  churches, 
along  with  reflections,  devotional  and  practical,  fill  the  pages. 
There  are  no  advertisements.  Two  letters  from  William 
Carey  appear,  written  in  Calcutta,  November  5,  1801,  and 
June  16,  1802,  respectively. 

The  next  Southern  Baptist  periodical  seems  to  have  been 
"The  Kentucky  Missionary  and  Theological  Magazine," 
Frankfort,  Ky. ,  first  issued  in  May,  181 2,  by  Rev.  Stark 
Dupuy,  who  compiled  "  Dupuy's  Hymns."  After  one  year 
this  magazine  suspended  until  the  war  with  Great  Britain 
should  be  over,  and  in  1813  Rev.  Silas  M.  Noel  started  a 
monthly  *'  Gospel  Herald"  at  Frankfort,  where  he  was  pas- 
tor. Doctors  Spencer  and  Cathcart  tell  us  this  periodical 
was  "suspended  for  want  of  patronage,"  which  history  shows 
to  have  been  the  general  cause  of  the  suspension  of  Baptist 
periodicals.  A  little  later  we  find  Mr.  Noel  editing  "The 
Baptist  Herald,"  and  afterward  "The  Baptist  Chronicle," 
also  pubhshed  at  Frankfort,  and  these  were  virtually  con- 
tinuations of  "  The  Gospel  Herald." 

In  April,  1823,  "  The  Baptist  Monitor  and  Political  Com- 
piler" was  started  at  Bloomfield,  Ky. ,  by  Rev.  Stephen 
Ray,  a  native  of  INIaryland,  whose  "style  was  rough,  but 
pointed  and  forcible,"  and  who  was  "fond  of  controversial 
subjects."  After  losing  §1,000  on  the  venture  Mr.  Ray 
gave  up  his  paper. 

Dr.  J.  H.  Spencer,  in  his  "History  of  Kentucky  Bap- 
tists" (Vol.  I.,  pp.  218,  597),  tells  us:  "About  the  first 
of  March,  1826,  Spencer  Clark  and  George  Waller  com- 
menced the  publication  at  Bloomfield,  Ky.,  of  a  periodical 
under  the  style  of  "The  Baptist  Register,"  the  name  of 
which  was  soon  afterAvard  exchanged  for  that  of  "  The  Bap- 
tist Recorder."  They  proposed  to  "endeavor  to  strip 
rehgion  of  everything  like  the  traditions  of  men,  and  to 
present  the  truth  in  a  plain  and  simple  manner."  This 
was  a  great  undertaking,  but  "there  were  giants  in  those 
days." 

In  "The  Columbian  Star  "  for  April  22,  1826,  a  copy  of 
which  is  now  before  me,  I  find  the  following  :  "A  letter  to 
the  editors  of  'The  Baptist  Recorder,'  dated  Elkton,  Ky. , 
February  20,  1826,  says:  *  We  have  had,  during  the  last 
spring,  summer,  and  fall,  some  truly  refreshing  seasons  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord.  About  one  hundred  have  been 
added  to  two  churches  in  this  county,  and  the  work  seems 
yet  to  be  progressing  in  some  places.'  " 


264       BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

This  letter,  dated  "February  20,  1826,"  proves  that  "The 
Baptist  Recorder"  was  in  existence  at  that  date,  and,  since 
the  paper  had  previously  changed  its  name  from  that  of 
"Baptist  Register,"  the  latter  must  have  been  started  some 
time  before  "the  first  of  March,  1826,"  or  very  soon  after 
"The  Baptist  Monitor  and  Political  Compiler,"  of  which 
paper  it  was  the  successor,  gave  up  the  ghost. 

We  find  about  this  time  several  papers  whose  precise  dates 
and  relations  to  each  other  the  writer  is  unable  satisfactorily 
to  determine,  viz,  "  The  Baptist  Herald  and  Georgetown 
Literary  Messenger,"  at  Georgetown  ;  "  The  Cross  and  Bap- 
tist Weekly  Journal,"  probably  at  New  Castle  ;  "The  Cross 
and  Baptist  Banner,"  at  Frankfort,  edited  and  published  by 
Uriel  B.  Chambers,  and  then  "The  Cross,"  by  the  same, 
"The  Banner"  being  laid  aside,  while  "The  Cross"  was 
still  borne.  In  1834,  however.  Dr.  J.  S.  Wilson,  of  Shelby- 
ville,  a  leading  physician,  revived  "The  Baptist  Banner," 
which  continued  to  wave  for  a  year,  when  the  famous  John 
L.  Waller  became  editor,  moved  the  paper  to  Louisville, 
consolidated  it  with  "The  Baptist,"  of  Nashville,  and  "The 
Western  Pioneer,"  of  Alton,  111.,  and  called  it  "The  Bap- 
tist Banner  and  Western  Pioneer."  This  name  it  bore  till 
185 1,  when  it  became  "The  Western  Recorder,"  of  which 
more  presently. 

The  "Columbian  Star"  was  started  by  the  famous  Luther 
Rice,  in  Washington,  D.  C. ,  January,  182 1.  It  was  a  four- 
page  weekly:  "Published  under  the  patronage  of  the  Gen- 
eral Convention  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in  the  United 
States.  Terms — Three  dollars  per  annum,  payable  in  ad- 
vance. All  communications  should  be  addressed  to  Baron 
Stowe,  Editor  and  Publisher."  This  information  was  put  at 
the  head  of  the  first  column,  first  page,  in  1826. 

It  was  not  long  till  the  "Star"  set  in  Washington  and  arose 
in  Philadelphia  as  "The  Christian  Index,"  edited  by  Rev. 
Dr.  W.  T.  Brantly,  Sr. ,  of  blessed  memory.  In  1833  he  trans- 
ferred it  to  that  mighty  man  of  God,  Jesse  Mercer,  who 
edited  and  published  it  at  Washington,  Ga. ,  with  Rev.  Wm. 
H.  Stokes  as  assistant  editor.  In  1840  Doctor  Mercer  trans- 
ferred the  paper  to  the  Georgia  Baptist  Convention,  which 
managed  it  through  its  Executive  Committee.  In  making  the 
transfer,  Doctor  Mercer  presented  the  Convention  "  I500 
worth  of  new  type  ' '  for  the  use  of  the  paper,  now  removed 
to  Penfield.  J.  S.  Baker  became  editor  in  1843  and  con- 
tinued till  1849,  when  B.  M.  Sanders,  chairman  of  the  Exec- 
utive Committee,  conducted  it  for  a  year,  and  then  John  F. 


SOUTHERN    AND    SOUTHWESTERN  265 

Dagg  became  editor.  The  reports  show  that  in  1854  the 
paper  paid  the  Convention  a  revenue  of  $463.35,  and  in 
1855,  $296.59.  In  December,  1855,  T.  D.  Martin  became 
editor,  and  in  1856  the  paper  was  moved  to  Macon,  the  Con- 
vention having  decided  to  locate  it  in  "one  of  our  principal 
cities,"  and  J.  F.  Dagg  was  editor.  At  the  beginning  of  1857 
Joseph  Walker  became  editor,  holding  tlie  position  over  two 
years.  Sylvanus  Landrum,  the  saintly  hero,  as  chairman  of 
the  Executive  Committee,  did  the  editing  for  two  months  till 
the  services  of  Dr.  E.  W.  Warren  {iiobile  nomoi)  were  secured 
for  less  than  a  year,  he  being  succeeded  in  March,  i860,  by 
Dr.  Samuel  Boykin,  afterward  famous  as  the  "  Kind  Words" 
editor.  In  1861  he  bought  the  paper  from  the  Convention, 
the  sale  having  been  agitated  more  or  less  ever  since  1849. 
In  1856  the  Executive  Committee  in  its  report  to  the  Con- 
vention says:  "The  management  of  the  'Christian  Index,' 
from  1840,  when  it  was  transferred  to  the  Convention  by 
Rev.  Jesse  Mercer,  has  been  a  source  of  more  perplexity 
to  the  committee  than  all  other  matters  trusted  to  their 
charge." 

In  the  "Columbian  Star"  for  July  29,  1826,  appeared  the 
following  :  "Prospectus  for  a  work  contemplated  to  be  pub- 
hshed  in  Richmond,  Va.,  entitled  'The  Evangelical  In- 
quirer,' by  Rev.  Henry  Keeling."  The  prospectus  goes 
on  to  say  :  "  Demands  for  a  paper,  in  some  form,  calculated 
to  promote  evangehcal  and  literary  objects  under  the  patron- 
age especially  of  the  Baptist  denomination  and  its  friends  in 
this  commonwealth,  have  been  thought  by  many  judicious 
persons,  long  to  exist."  The  "Evangehcal  Inquirer"  was 
to  be  "issued  monthly,  in  an  octavo  pamphlet  of  thirty- 
two  pages,  on  good  paper,  neatly  covered  and  stitched." 
The  price  was  $2.00  a  year,  and  it  was  "to  be  commenced 
when  five  hundred  subscriptions  have  been  obtained." 

The  "five  hundred  subscriptions"  were  secured,  certainly 
before  January,  1828,  for  we  read  in  the  "Triennial  Baptist 
Register"  (p.  148)  for  1836:  "'Religious  Herald.'  This 
periodical  commenced  in  January,  1828,  under  the  editorial 
care  of  WiUiam  Sands,  the  present  editor  and  proprietor." 
The  name  "Evangehcal  Inquirer"  was  changed  to  "Relig- 
ious Herald,"  which  name  the  paper  has  borne  ever  since. 
Mr.  Sands  was  editor  and  proprietor  for  about  forty  years, 
employing  at  different  times  Eh  Ball,  Henry  Keeling,  and 
David  Shaver,  as  editors. 

The  next  periodical  to  claim  our  attention  is  the  "  Bibhcal 
Interpreter,"  a  twenty-four-page  monthly,  pubhshed  by  Rev. 


266       BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

Thomas  Meredith,  at  Edenton,  N.  C,  in  1833.  The  next 
year  the  name  was  changed  to  the  "  Biblical  Recorder,"  and 
was  removed  to  Newbern. 

In  1838  the  "Biblical  Recorder"  was  moved  to  Raleigh 
and  consohdated  with  the  "Southern  Watchman,"  of  Charles- 
ton, S.  C. ,  under  the  style  of  ' '  The  Recorder  and  Watchman, ' ' 
In  1842  the  paper  was  suspended  and  it  was  superseded  by 
the  "Southern  Christian  Repository,"  a  monthly.  In  about 
six  months,  however,  the  "Biblical  Recorder"  was  revived, 
and  it  continued  under  the  control  of  Rev.  Thomas  Meredith 
till  his  death  in  185 1. 

The  writer  is  unable  to  fix  the  date  of  the  first  Baptist  paper 
in  South  Carolina.  We  find  "The  Watchman"  moving  from 
Charleston,  in  1838,  and  consolidating  with  the  "Biblical  Re- 
corder," and  in  the  "Triennial  Baptist  Register,"  for  1836, 
we  find  (p.  177)  :  "  'The  Southern  Baptist  and  General  In- 
telligencer' is  published  every  Friday,  in  Charleston,  Wm.  H. 
Brisbane,  editor." 

In  the  "Baptist  Encyclopedia"  (Vol.  II.,  p.  1076)  there 
is  the  following  in  regard  to  Baptist  journalism  in  South 
Carolina  : 

"There  are  now  two  numbers  of  the  'Southern  Watch- 
man and  General  Intelligencer '  in  existence,  dated  February 
3  and  February  10,  1837,  printed  in  Charleston  by  James  S. 
Burgess,  and  edited  by  the  late  Basil  Manly,  d.  d.  These 
numbers  belong  to  the  fourth  volume." 

This  sends  the  paper  back  to  1833,  which  in  all  proba- 
bility marks  the  date  of  the  first  Baptist  periodical  in  South 
Carolina. 

In  1843  the  Rev.  T.  W.  Haynes  published  a  monthly  in 
Charleston  called  the  "Carolina  Baptist"  ;  and  in  1846  we 
find  "The  Southern  Baptist"  in  Charleston,  edited  "  by  a 
a  committee  of  brethren,  consisting  of  Rev.  J.  R.  Kendrick, 
James  Tupper,  Esq.,  and  others."  This  went  on  till  1849, 
when  Dr.  James  P.  Boyce  became  editor,  and  he  was  suc- 
ceeded in  turn  by  Dr.  E.  T.  Winkler,  Dr.  J.  R  Tustin ,  and 
Dr.  W.  B.  Carson.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war  between 
the  States  the  paper  was  suspended  ;  although  during  part  of 
the  war  Dr.  J.  L.  Reynolds  published  "The  Confederate 
Baptist"  at  Columbia. 

From  the  "Triennial  Baptist  Register"  (1836)  we  learn  that 
"The  Baptist"  was  started  January  i,  1835,  "published 
monthly  at  Nashville,  on  an  extra  imperial  sheet,  by  R.  B.  C. 
Howell."  "It  is  very  ably  conducted  and  is  accomplishing 
much  good,"  as  the  same  authority  informs  us.     The  coming 


SOUTHERN    AND    SOUTHWESTERN  26/ 

of  Doctor  Howell  to  Nashville,  in  1833,  marked  an  era  in 
Tennessee  Baptist  history.  The  "Baptist  Register"  for 
1841  does  not  mention  "The  Baptist"  in  its  list  of  denomi- 
national periodicals,  but  that  may  have  been  an  oversight. 
The  1841  list  is:  "Baptist  Chronicle"  (monthly),  Colum- 
bus, Ga. ;  "Southern  Baptist  Preacher"  (monthly),  Wash- 
ington, Ga.  ;  "  Rehgious  Herald,"  Richmond,  Va.  ;  "  Bibh- 
cal  Recorder,"  Raleigh,  N.  C.  ;  "Christian  Index,"  Wash- 
ington, Ga.  ;   "  Baptist  Banner  and  Pioneer,"  Louisville,  Ky. 

In  1846  J.  R.  Graves,  a  briUiant  young  preacher  from 
Vermont,  of  Huguenot  descent,  who  had  been  teaching  in 
Kentucky  and  who  had  come  to  Nashville  the  year  before, 
became  associated  with  Doctor  Howell  in  editing  the  paper, 
which  took  the  name  of  "The  Tennessee  Baptist."  In 
June,  1848,  Doctor  Graves  became  sole  editor,  and  his 
connection  with  the  paper  lasted  forty-seven  years.  In 
1855  he  associated  with  him  Drs.  J.  M.  Pendleton  and  A.  C. 
Dayton,  in  editorial  work,  with  whom  also  he  edited  the 
"Southern  Baptist  Review."  This  arrangement  continued 
till  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War.  Owing  to  the  "  Land- 
mark" controversy,  those  who  differed  with  the  "Tennessee 
Baptist"  established  in  Nashville  "The  Baptist  Standard," 
with  Dr.  L.  B.  Woolfolk  as  editor,  and  it  was  published  until 
the  war  caused  its  suspension. 

In  1853  we  find  "The  Baptist  Watchman"  in  Knoxville, 
edited  by  Dr.  Matthew  Hillsman,  though  when  it  began  and 
how  long  it  lasted,  I  am  unable  to  determine. 

An  eminent  and  accomplished  Baptist  physician  in  Nash- 
ville, Dr.  W.  P.  Jones,  in  1852  started  the  "Parlor  Visitor" 
(monthly),  which  was  moved  to  Murfreesboro,  and  edited  by 
Mrs.  E.  M.  Eaton  (consort  of  Dr.  Joseph  H.  Eaton,  Presi- 
dent of  Union  University),  and  which  took  the  style  of  "The 
Aurora,"  continuing  until  the  war. 

Such  were  the  beginnings  of  Southern  Baptist  journalism. 
Lack  of  space  forbids  the  consideration  of  the  various  periodi- 
cals that  have  from  time  to  time  appeared  and  passed  away. 
We  will  therefore  give  the  remaining  space  to  the  publications 
now  in  existence,  with  such  incidental  mention  of  others  as 
may  seem  fitting.  And  first  let  us  bring  down  to  date  those 
already  named. 

"  The  Western  Recorder.'"  After  moving  to  Louisville 
the  "  Baptist  Banner  and  Pioneer"  ended  its  pioneer  work  in 
1 85 1  and  floated  as  the  ' '  Baptist  Banner, ' '  being  edited  during 
1848  and  1849  by  Dr.  Wm.  C.  Buck,  one  of  the  most  effective 
men  the  Baptists  have  ever  had.      In  185 1  we  find  John  L. 


268       BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

Waller,  R.  L.  Thurman,  and  A.  W.  Larne,  serving  as  editors. 
Doctor  Waller  had  started  the  "Western  Baptist  Review"  in 
Frankfort,  in  September,  1845,  and  he  continued  to  edit  this 
sterling  magazine.  "The  Baptist  Banner,"  in  185 1,  took 
the  name  "Western  Recorder,"  which  the  paper  has  since 
borne.  In  1852  we  find  Chas.  D.  Kirk  as  editor  in  place  of 
R.  L.  Thurman;  and  we  find  the  "Christian  Repository" 
(monthly),  edited  by  John  L.  Waller  and  Charles  D.  Kirk. 
The  next  year  Dr.  S.  H.  Ford  became  associated  with  Doctor 
Waller  in  editing  both  the  "Western  Recorder"  and  the 
"Christian  Repository."  In  1854  Doctor  Waller  died,  and 
Joseph  Otis  became  proprietor  of  the  paper,  with  S.  W.  Lynd 
and  S.  H.  Ford  as  editors  ;  but  after  five  years  Ave  find  Mr. 
Otis  in  sole  charge.  Dr.  A.  C.  Graves  became  editor  in 
1863,  and  after  the  war.  Prof.  Norman  Robinson,  a  schol- 
arly and  accomplished  teacher  ;  C.  Y.  Duncan,  J.  C.  Waller, 
and  A.  S.  Worrell,  were  editors,  until  in  1868  Dr.  R.  M. 
Dudley,  afterward  the  distinguished  president  of  Georgetown 
College,  took  charge.  He  was  then  pastor  of  East  Baptist 
Church  in  Louisville.  Before  Doctor  Dudley's  taking  charge 
the  paper  was  owned  by  Sherrill  and  Shuttleworth.  Prof  J. 
W.  Rust  became  associated  with  Doctor  Dudley  in  1868. 
This  arrangement  lasted  until  1872,  when  Drs.  A.  C.  Caper- 
ton  and  J.  S.  Coleman  became  editors.  After  five  years 
Doctor  Coleman  withdrew  and  left  Doctor  Caperton  in  sole 
charge.  He  soon  associated  with  himself,  however,  Mr.  A. 
B.  Gates,  a  gifted  layman,  and  in  connection  with  the  paper 
they  carried  on  a  book  store.  Afterward  Mr.  Gates  removed 
to  Georgia,  and  Doctor  Caperton  was  again  alone. 

In  October,  1887,  after  having  done  the  denomination 
faithful  service.  Doctor  Caperton  sold  out  to  the  McFerran- 
Harvey  Company,  and  T.  T.  Eaton  became  editor.  In  1890, 
the  Baptist  Book  Concern  was  organized,  bought  out  the 
McFerran-Harvey  Company,  continuing  T.  T.  Eaton  as 
editor,  and  this  arrangement  remains  in  force. 

"  The  Christian  Index,''  Atlanta,  Ga.  At  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Civil  War  we  find  Dr.  Samuel  Boykin  in  charge. 
At  its  close  he  sold  out  to  J.  J.  Toon,  who  made  Dr.  H.  H. 
Tucker  editor  for  six  months.  After  a  brief  interval  Dr. 
W.  T.  Brantly  became  editor  for  six  months,  and  after 
another  brief  interval  Dr.  David  Shaver  edited  the  paper 
from  the  beginning  of  1867  till  1873,  when  the  "Index" 
was  transferred  to  J.  P.  Harrison  &  Co.,  who  made  Dr.  D. 
E.  Butler  editor.  Dr.  H.  H.  Tucker  again  became  editor 
in  October,  1878,  and  in  1882  Drs.  M.  B.  Wharton  and  G. 


SOUTHERN    AND    SOUTHWESTERN  269 

A.  Nunnally  bought  each  a  fourth  interest.  Later  Doctor 
Tucker  bought  the  paper  and  continued  to  edit  it  until  his 
death.  He  had,  however,  associated  with  himself  Mr.  J. 
C.  IMcMichael,  Avho  had  edited  "The  Barnesville  Gazette." 
On  the  death  of  Doctor  Tucker,  Mr.  McMichael  owned  and 
edited  the  paper  till  his  own  death  in  1895.  Then  it  was 
sold  by  order  of  the  court,  the  owner  having  died  intestate, 
and  was  bought  by  Dr.  T.  P.  Bell,  who  associated  with  him- 
self Dr.  J.  J.  Van  Ness.  Doctor  Bell  was  for  years  assistant 
corresponding  secretary  of  the  Foreign  Mission  Board  and 
then  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Sunday-school  Board, 
which  last  position  he  gave  up  to  take  charge  of  the  "  Index." 
In  January,  1900,  Doctor  Van  Ness  removed  to  Nashville  to 
become  editorial  secretary  of  the  Sunday-school  Board,  and 
Doctor  Bell  is  now  the  sole  editor. 

''The  Religious  Herald,''  Richmond,  Va.  This  paper 
has  had  fewer  vicissitudes  than  its  contemporaries,  and 
hence  its  story  can  be  more  briefly  told.  In  the  yearly 
reports  of  the  papers  we  observe  with  interesting  monotony, 
"' Religious  Herald,'  William  Sands,  Richmond,  Va."  In 
1857,  owing  to  Mr.  Sands'  feeble  state  of  health,  he  made 
Dr.  David  Shaver  "associate  editor."  When  the  war  came 
on  and  the  armies  cut  off  communication  with  a  large  part  of 
its  constituents,  the  "Herald"  reduced  its  size  and  was 
issued  semi-monthly,  and  when  Richmond  fell,  on  April  3, 
1865,  the  office  and  fixtures  of  the  paper  were  burned, 
though  the  subscription  list  was  saved.  Drs.  J.  B.  Jeter  and 
A.  E.  Dickinson  bought  the  list  and  goodwill  of  the  paper 
and  resumed  its  regular  publication  November  16,  1865, 
having  issued  a  specimen  number  the  month  previous.  Drs. 
Richard  Fuller,  John  A.  Broadus,  William  T.  Brantly,  Rich- 
ard Furman,  James  Upham,  and  B.  Puryear  were  at  intervals 
associate  editors.  Perhaps  about  1875-1876,  when  Doctors 
Fuller  and  Broadus  were  associate  editors,  was  the  time  when 
the  "Herald"  exerted  the  greatest  influence  upon  the  de- 
nomination. After  the  death  of  Doctor  Jeter,  in  February, 
1880,  first  Dr.  H.  H.  Harris  and  then  Dr.  W.  E.  Hatcher 
served  as  editor  along  with  Doctor  Dickinson  as  representing 
Mrs.  Jeter's  interest  in  the  paper.  That  interest  was  sold  to 
Doctor  Dickinson,  and  he  associated  with  himself  Dr.  R.  H. 
Pitt,  and  these  two  are  now  in  charge,  most  of  the  work 
devolving  upon  the  latter  on  account  of  the  former's  failing 
health.  Doctor  Dickinson's  period  as  editor  will  soon  equal 
that  of  WiUiam  Sands,  and  the  two  make  a  most  remarkable 
record. 


270       BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

"  The  Biblical  Recorder,'"  Raleigh,  N.  C.  After  the 
death  of  Rev.  Thomas  Meredith,  in  185 1,  his  widow  owned 
"The  Bibhcal  Recorder"  and  employed  Dr.  T.  W.  Tobey 
to  edit  it.  In  1854  it  was  purchased  by  a  stock  company, 
headed  by  Rev.  J.  J.  James,  who  became  the  editor.  .  Two 
years  later  he  bought  out  the  other  owners  and  associated 
with  himself  Rev.  J.  S.  Walthal.  This  arrangement  lasted 
till  1 86 1,  when  Dr.  J.  D.  Huffman  bought  the  paper  and 
edited  it  throughout  the  period  of  the  war,  though  for  a 
short  time  after  the  close  of  the  war  the  paper  was  obliged  to 
suspend.  In  1867  it  was  sold  to  Dr.  W.  T.  Walters  and 
Mr.  J.  H.  Mills,  the  latter  becoming  sole  proprietor  after  a 
few  months.  He  continued  in  control  till  1873,  when  Pro- 
fessor A.  F.  Read  became  editor,  who  after  two  years  sold  it 
to  Dr.  C.  T.  Bailey,  who  soon  associated  with  him  Messrs.  C.  i 
B.  Edwards  and  N.  B.  Broughton  in  the  ownership.  Dr.  J.  ' 
D.  Huffman  serving  as  associate  editor.  For  two  years  Dr.  ; 
T.  H.  Pritchard  was  associate  editor  and  then  Dr.  Harvey 
Hatcher.  On  the  death  of  Doctor  Bailey,  in  1898,  the  i 
paper  passed  into  the  hands  of  his  gifted  son,  J.  W.  Bailey, 
under  whose  control  the  paper  is  highly  prosperous,  Messrs. 
Edwards  and  Broughton  remaining  as  proprietors  in  part. 

"  The  Baptist  and  Reflector,''  Nashville,  Tenn.  The 
publication  of  "The  Tennessee  Baptist  ""was  suspended 
at  Nashville  during  the  war,  but  was  resumed  by  Dr.  J.  R. 
Graves  at  Memphis  after  the  war  under  the  name,  "The 
Baptist."  It  rapidly  regained  its  power.  About  1886  "The 
Baptist  Gleaner,"  of  Fulton,  Ky. ,  was  consohdated  with 
"The  Baptist,"  and  its  editor,  Dr.  J.  B.  Moody,  became 
associate  editor  with  Doctor  Graves,  opening  a  branch  office 
in  Nashville.  Dr.  O.  C.  Pope,  in  Morristown,  Tenn.,  in 
1874  began  the  pubhcation  of  "The  Baptist  Reflector," 
which  in  1878  was  sold  to  Dr.  W.  D.  Mayfield  and  removed 
to  Nashville,  Dr.  B.  R.  Womack  becoming  associate  editor. 
After  three  years  Rev.  J.  B.  Chevis  became  editor  and  pro- 
prietor. At  that  time  Dr.  J.  M.  Robertson  bought  "  The 
Baptist  Sun,"  pubhshed  at  Rome,  Ga. ,  by  Dr.  G.  A.  Nun- 
nally,  and  moved  it  to  Chattanooga,  naming  it  "The  Ameri- 
can Baptist."  The  next  year  (1882)  Doctor  Robertson 
bought  "The  Baptist  Reflector"  and  consolidated  it  with 
"The  American  Baptist"  under  the  style  of  "The  American 
Baptist  Reflector."  He  retired  in  1885,  leaving  the  paper 
in  the  hands  of  Drs.  R.  J.  Willingham  and  A.  W.  McGaha, 
pastors  in  Chattanooga.  In  November,  1888,  the  paper  was 
bought  by  Dr.  E.  E.  Folk,  who  in  the  next  year  effected  a 


SOUTHERN    AND    SOUTHWESTERN  2/1 

consolidation  with  "  The  Baptist  "  ;  he  moved  both  papers  to 
NashviUe  and  called  the  combined  paper  "The  Baptist  and 
Reflector,"  associating  with  him  Drs.  Graves  and  Moody. 
That  same  year,  however.  Doctor  Graves  turned  over  his 
interest  in  the  paper  to  his  son-in-law,  Dr.  O.  L.  Hailey, 
who  bought  out  Doctor  Moody  and  became  joint  editor  with 
Doctor  Folk,  Doctor  Graves  being  ' '  special  editor. ' '  In 
1 89 1  Doctor  Folk  became  editor  and  proprietor,  Doctor 
Graves  remaining  as  "special  editor"  until  his  death,  two 
years  later. 

At  various  times  there  were  other  Baptist  papers  pubhshed 
in  Tennessee.  Among  these  we  may  mention  the  "Christian 
Herald,"  published  in  Nashville,  in  1872  and  1873,  edited  by 
J.  A.  Shackleford,  T.  T.  Eaton,  and  J.  M.  Phillips,  and  sold  to 
the  "Christian  Index."  Also  the  "Baptist  Messenger,"  pub- 
lished at  Woodbury,  by  Rev.  J.  M.  D.  Gates,  who  wrote  much 
for  the  paper  and  pubhshed  two  or  three  books. 

"  The  Baptist  Courier,''''  Greenville,  S.  C.  Rev.  Messrs. 
Tilman,  R. ,  and  Wilham  A.  Gaines,  began  to  pubHsh  "The 
Working  Christian,"  in  Yorkville,  S.  C. ,  in  1867.  For  a 
short  time  it  vv'as  pubhshed  in  Charleston,  with  Dr.  O.  F. 
Gregory  as  editor.  Purchased  by  Charles  M.  Mcjunkin,  it 
was  moved  to  Columbia,  where  Dr.  J.  L.  Reynolds  became 
associate  editor.  In  1878  Col.  James  A.  Hoyt,  a  prominent 
and  accomplished  layman,  bought  the  paper,  changed  the 
name  to  "The  Baptist  Courier,"  and  associated  with  himself 
Dr.  A.  W.  Lamar  in  editorial  work.  The  paper  was  moved 
to  Greenville  in  1879,  where  it  is  still  published,  and  Dr.  J. 
C.  Hiden  became  associate  editor,  with  Drs.  Wm.  H.  Strick- 
land and  R.  H.  Griffith  as  field  editors.  W.  W.  Keyes,  Esq., 
in  1882  became  joint  owner  with  Colonel  Hoyt,  and  Dr.  J.  C. 
Furman  was  associate  editor.  In  1891  Dr.  A.  J.  S.  Thomas 
bought  Colonel  Hoyt's  share  in  the  paper,  and  became  editor 
along  with  Mr.  Keyes,  making  Prof.  G.  B.  Moore  associate 
editor,  which  arrangement  is  still  maintained. 

^^  The  Central  Baptist,^''  St.  Louis,  Mo.  It  was  in  1842 
that  "The  Missouri  Baptist"  appeared  in  St.  Louis,  pub- 
hshed monthly  by  Isaac  Hinton  and  R.  S.  Thomas.  Soon 
it  became  "The  Missouri  and  lUinois  Baptist,"  and  appeared 
semi-monthly,  but  it  soon  yielded  to  that  inveterate  foe  of 
Baptist  periodicals,  want  of  patronage.  ' '  The  Western  Watch- 
man "  was  started  in  1848,  but  was  soon  suspended  on  ac- 
count of  being  burnt  out,  and  in  185 1  it  was  revived  by  Rev. 
William  Crovvell,  with  whom  was  associated  Rev.  S.  B.  John- 
son for  a  time.      It  flourished  until  the  breaking  out  of  the 


272       BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

war,  when  it  suspended.  "The  Missouri  Baptist"  appeared 
in  1859,  with  Dr.  S.  H.  Ford  as  editor,  and  ceased  when  the 
war  began.  With  the  opening  of  the  year  1866,  Revs.  J.  H. 
Luther  and  R.  M.  Rhoads  began  at  Pahnyra  the  publication 
of  the  "Missouri  Baptist  Journal,"  and  in  the  September 
following,  Dr.  A.  A.  Kendrick  started  "The  Record,"  in  St. 
Louis.  These  two  papers  were  two  years  later  consolidated, 
under  the  style  of  "The  Central  Baptist,"  published  at  St. 
Louis,  with  Drs.  Luther,  Kendrick,  and  Norman  Fox  as 
editors.  In  1875  Doctor  Luther  retired,  giving  place  to  Dr. 
W.  Pope  Yeaman,  with  whom  was  associated  Dr.  Wiley  J.  Pat- 
rick. Rev.  Wm.  Ferguson  bought  the  paper  in  1877,  and 
associated  with  him  Dr.  J.  C.  Armstrong,  and  in  1882  the 
plant  was  sold  to  Dr.  W.  H.  Williams,  whose  management  con- 
tinued till  his  death  in  1893,  Doctor  Armstrong  remaining  one 
of  the  editors.  Since  the  death  of  Doctor  Williams,  Mrs. 
Williams  has  continued  Doctor  Armstrong  as  editor,  and  he 
is  now  in  charge. 

"  The  Alaba?na  Baptist,''  Montgomery,  Ala.  The  first 
Baptist  paper  published  in  the  State  was  the  "Southwest- 
ern Baptist  Pioneer,"  at  Jacksonville,  in  1834,  with  WiUiam 
Wood  as  editor.  At  Marion,  Ala.,  in  1841,  Rev.  Milo  P. 
Jewett,  who  founded  the  Judson  Institute  and  who  afterward 
influenced  Matthew  Vassar  to  found  Vassar  College,  started 
the  "Alabama  Baptist,"  associating  with  him  Rev.  J.  H. 
Devotie.  In  1848  we  find  C.  M.  Breaker  as  editor,  and  in 
185 1  A.  W.  Chambliss.  The  latter  changed  the  name  to 
"Southwestern  Baptist."  Dr.  Samuel  Henderson  took 
charge  in  1852,  and  the  paper  was  moved  to  Tuskegee,  where 
he  was  pastor,  and  there  flourished  until  after  the  close  of  the 
war,  when  the  Federal  authorities  forbade  its  publication  and 
put  Doctor  Henderson  under  a  bond  of  ^20,000  not  to  pub- 
lish it  again.  This  led  to  its  consolidation  with  the  "Chris- 
tian Index,"  at  Atlanta.  Doctor  Henderson  had  enjoyed  the 
editorial  assistance,  from  time  to  time,  of  the  Revs.  Albert 
WiUiams,  J.  M.  Watt,  J.  E.  Dawson,  and  H.  E.  Taliaferro. 
For  several  years  Alabama  had  no  Baptist  paper,  strange  to 
say;  but  in  1873  the  Baptist  State  Convention,  through  its 
Board,  started  "  The  Alabama  Baptist,"  at  Marion,  with  Drs. 
E.  T.  Winkler,  J.  J.  D.  Renfroe,  E.  B.  Teague,  and  D.  W. 
Gwin  as  editors,  who  gave  their  services  gratuitously.  In 
1878  the  Convention  conveyed  the  paper  to  Drs.  E.  T. 
Winkler  and  J.  L.  West,  the  latter  soon  becoming  sole  pro- 
prietor, with  Drs.  Winkler  arid  Renfroe  as  editors.  After- 
ward Dr.  W.  C.  Cleveland  served  for  three  years,  and  the 


SOUTHERN  AND  SOUTHWESTERN         273 

paper  was  moved  to  Selma.  In  1880  Col.  John  G.  Harris 
bought  a  half-interest,  and  in  1885  bought  the  rest,  and  in 
1886  moved  the  paper  to  Montgomery,  with  Doctor  Renfroe 
as  editor.  After  two  months  Doctor  Renfroe  told  the  owner 
he  was  not  fitted  to  be  an  editor,  and  that  he  would  return  to 
the  pastorate.  Here  is  the  only  man  on  record  who  avowed 
that  he  was  not  fitted  to  be  an  editor.  Dr.  Joseph  Shackle- 
ford  served  temporarily  till  Mr.  W.  A.  Davis  bought  a  half- 
interest,  and  the  two  owners  acted  as  editors  for  two  years 
when  Colonel  Harris  again  became  sole  proprietor,  leasing 
the  paper  to  the  Revs.  C.  W.  Hare  and  J.  C.  Pope.  In 
1 89 1  the  Alabama  Baptist  Convention  requested  Colonel 
Harris  to  resume  control,  and  he  complied. 

''The  Baptist,''  Jackson,  Miss.  The  Mississippi  Bap- 
tist Convention  in  1857  established  the  "Mississippi  Bap- 
tist," with  Rev.  J.  T.  Freeman  as  editor.  There  had  been 
eff"orts  at  Baptist  journalism  in  the  State  before,  but  they 
amounted  to  little.  The  paper  grew  in  favor  and  flourished 
until  the  war  caused  its  suspension.  After  the  war  the  Mis- 
sissippi Baptists  rehed  mainly  on  "The  Baptist,"  at  Mem- 
phis, for  denominational  information  and  advocacy,  till  in 
1876  it  was  decided  to  have  a  paper  of  their  own,  and  the 
"Mississippi  Baptist  Record"  was  started  at  CHnton,  with 
Dr.  J.  B.  Gambrell  as  editor,  and  Prof  M.  T.  Martin  as 
business  manager.  In  1881  Professor  Martin  became  sole 
proprietor,  but  he  soon  turned  it  over  to  Doctor  Gambrell, 
who  was  both  editor  and  proprietor.  In  1884  Prof  George 
Wharton  became  associate  editor,  and  after  two  years  Dr.  L. 
S.  Foster  became  such.  The  paper  was  moved  to  Jackson, 
and  a  little  later  it  made  its  abode  in  Meridian,  where  in 
1888  Dr.  J.  H.  Hackett  became  associate  editor.  Four  years 
later  Doctor  Gambrell  retired  from  the  paper,  leaving  Doctor 
Hackett  in  charge.  This  continued  till  1898,  when  "The 
Baptist  Layman ' '  (a  paper  published  by  Dr.  J.  L.  Johnson) 
was  consohdated  with  the  "Record,"  and  "The  Baptist" 
was  started  at  Jackson,  whence,  with  Rev.  T.  J.  Bailey  as 
"editor  and  manager,"  it  still  goes  forth. 

''The  Baptist  Chronicle.''  In  1855  the  Rev.  Hanson 
Lee  started  the  "Louisiana  Baptist"  at  Mt.  Lebanon,  La. 
He  continued  the  paper,  having  H.  Hill  associated  with  him 
part  of  the  time,  till  his  death  in  1862,  when  it  was  continued 
by  W.  F.  Wells,  with  Doctor  Courtney  as  editor.  At  the  close 
of  the  war  Dr.  A.  S.  Worrell  bought  the  paper,  but  soon 
sold  it  back  to  Messrs.  Wells  and  Courtney,  with  the  latter 
as  editor  and  Dr.  W.  E.  Paxton  as  associate.      At  the  end  of 

s 


274       BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

1869  the  paper  was  sold  to  the  "Baptist"  at  Memphis. 
Also  in  1855,  Dr.  W.  C.  Duncan  pubhshed  the  "New 
Orleans  Baptist  Chronicle,"  which  seems  to  have  ended  with 
the  war.  The  present  "Baptist  Chronicle,"  published  at 
Alexandria,  La.,  entered  upon  its  fifteenth  volume  August 
10,  1900.  It  is  edited  by  Dr.  R.  M.  Boone,  with  A.  L. 
Johnson  and  J.  S.  Edmonds  as  associates.  J.  D.  Jamison 
and  E.  O.  Ware  are  field  and  missionary  editors,  respectively. 

'■'■The  Texas  Baptist- He  raid,''''  Dallas,  Texas.  At  An- 
derson, Texas,  in  1855,  Rev.  George  W.  Baines  and  others 
started  the  "Texas  Baptist,"  which  flourished  tiU  the  war. 
Dr.  J.  B.  Link,  in  1865,  established  the  "Texas  Baptist 
Herald"  at  Houston,  where  it  remained  till  1883,  when  it 
was  removed  to  Austin  and,  something  over  two  years  later, 
to  Waco. 

Dr.  R.  C.  Buckner  in  1874  started  the  "Christian  Mes- 
senger" at  Paris,  Texas,  soon  removing  it  to  Dallas,  and 
changing  its  name  to  the  "Texas  Baptist."  In  1883  the 
paper  was  bought  by  Dr.  S.  A.  Hayden,  who  in  the  same 
year  bought  the  "Baptist  Standard,"  which  had  been  pub- 
lished more  than  a  year  by  Rev.  C.  C.  Parroch,  at  Glen  Rose, 
consohdating  it  with  the  "  Baptist  Standard." 

In  1886  the  "Baptist"  and  the  "Baptist  Herald"  were 
consolidated,  the  united  paper  being  known  first  as  the 
"Texas  Baptist  and  Herald,"  and  later  as  the  "Texas  Bap- 
tist-Herald," with  Doctor  Hayden  in  control.  He  soon  re- 
moved the  paper  to  Dallas,  where  he  now  publishes  it. 

"The  Baptist  Standard,'"  Dallas,  Texas.  "  The  West, 
ern  Baptist,"  published  for  a  year  or  two  at  Dallas,  and 
owned  by  Revs.  Levi  Holland  and  R.  T.  Hank,  was  in  1892 
sold  to  Drs.  M.  V.  Smith  and  J.  B.  Cranfill,  who  changed  the 
name  to  the  "Texas  Baptist  Standard,"  and  soon  moved  the 
paper  to  Waco.  The  death  of  Doctor  Smith  in  1893  left 
Doctor  Cranfill  in  sole  charge  till,  in  1898,  he  sold  a  half-inter- 
est to  C.  C.  Slaughter,  Esq.,  known  as  the  "Texas  cattle 
king."  The  paper  was  moved  to  Dallas  and  called  the  "  Bap- 
tist Standard. ' '  A  stock  company  was  at  once  organized,  to 
which  the  paper  was  transferred.  Doctor  Cranfill  being  at  the 
head  of  the  company  as  well  as  remaining  editor  of  the  paper, 
Colonel  Slaughter  being  a  large  stockholder. 

''The  Arkansas  Baptist,''  Little  Bock,  Ark.  Rev.  P. 
S.  G.  Watson  in  1859  began  the  publication  of  this  paper 
at  Little  Rock,  but  the  war  caused  its  suspension.  The  Bap- 
tist Convention  of  the  State  in  1867  decided  to  start  a  paper 
and  Rev.  P.  S.  G.  Watson  was  chosen  editor.     At  the  next 


SOUTHERN    AND    SOUTHWESTERN  275 

meeting  the  paper  was  sold  to  Mr.  Watson  "on  account  of 
dissatisfaction  with  its  management  by  the  Convention,"  and 
in  1870  he  sold  out  to  the  "Baptist"  at  Memphis.      Four 
years  later  Rev.  T.  B.  Espey  started  the  "Western  Baptist," 
at  Little  Rock,  which  in  turn  was  soon  bought  by  the  "Bap- 
tist."     In   1880,  J.  R  Eagle,  J.   M.  King,  W.  D.  Mayfield, 
Benj.  Thomas,  and  T.  B.  Espey  formed  a  stock  company  and 
began  to  issue  at  Little  Rock,  the  "Arkansas  Evangel."     In 
a  few  months  Drs.  B.  R.  Womack  and   J.    B.   Searcy  were 
made  editors  and  the  paper  was  moved  to  Dardanelle.      In 
two  years  the  stockholders,  tired  of  the  burden,  turned  the 
paper  over  to  Doctor  Womack,  who  sold  a  half-interest  to 
Doctor  Searcy,  and  two  years  later  Doctor  Womack  retired, 
Dr.    A.    S.    Worrell   taking  his   place.      Next  year  we   find 
Doctor  Womack  again  in  charge,  with  Revs.    M.   D.   Early 
and  O.  M.  Lucas  as  associates.     The  next  year  these  last 
two  are  dropped,  and  in  one  year  more  (1886)  we  find  Dr. 
W.   A.    Forbes  as  sole   editor  and  proprietor,   with  M.    D. 
Early  as  field  editor.     Two  years  later  Revs.  J.  N.  Hall  and 
J.  H.  Milburn  became  associated  with  Doctor  Forbes,  and  in 
a  kw  months  he  sold  out  to   them.      In  November,  1888, 
Allen  W.  Clark  became  business  manager,  buying  out  Mil- 
burn  ;  and  on  March  i,  1889,  Dr.  W.  A.  Clark  bought  out 
Hall,  and  ni   the  next  January  he  became  sole  proprietor. 
On  October  i,  1899,  the  paper  was  sold  to  Dr.  O.  L   Hailey 
and  Rev.  R.  E.  Drake,  but  on  the  sixteenth  of  April,  1900, 
Doctor  Clark  bought  back  the  paper,  associating  with  him 
Dr.  J.  H.  Milburn.      We  doubt  if  any  paper  in  the  land  can' 
furnish  more  history  for  the  same  length  of  time  than  this 
one.      For  a  while  the  "Baptist  Review"  was  published  at 
Little  Rock  by  Rev.  W.  Theodore  Smith. 

''Florida  Baptist  Witness,''  Ocala,  Fla.  James  Mc- 
Donald, in  1847,  began  to  pubhsh  in  Jacksonville,  Fla 
a  monthly  journal  called  the  "Baptist  Telegraph,"  which 
seems  to  have  soon  run  its  course.  In  i860  Rev.  N.  H 
Bailey  issued  the  prospectus  of  a  Baptist  paper,  with  Rev. 
W.  N.  Chaudoin  as  associate  editor,  but  the  paper  never  ma- 
teriahzed.  The  Baptist  State  Convention  at  Lake  City,  in 
1872,  resolved  in  favor  of  a  paper  for  the  State,  and  took' up 
a  collection  to  aid  the  enterprise,  and  in  the  February  follow- 
ing the  "Florida  Baptist"  appeared  at  Lake  City,  with  the 
Rev.  H.  B.  McCallum  as  editor  and  the  Revs.  T.  E.  Lang- 
ley  and  J.  H.  Tomkies,  corresponding  editors.  This  paper 
lasted  three  years  and  was  then  sold  to  the  "Christian  In- 
dex ' '  at  Atlanta,  though  it  was  afterward  revived,  for  we  find 


276       BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

it  in  1884  published  at  Live  Oak,  with  L.  A.  Fish  as  editor, 
while  the  "Florida  Baptist  Witness"  is  pubhshed  at  Lake 
City,  with  A.  P.  Ashurst  and  C.  C.  Hill  as  editors.  The 
latter  paper  began  in  February,  1884.  It  was  moved  to 
Ocala  soon  afterward,  and  owned  by  Doctor  Hood  and  Rev. 
J.  C.  Porter.  The  latter  is  now  sole  proprietor  and  he  has 
associated  with  him  as  editors  Prof.  C.  S.  Farriss  and  Rev. 
L.  D.  Geiger. 

'■'■American  Baptist  Flag,''''  Fulton,  Ky.,  and  St.  Louis, 
Mo.  Dr.  D.  B.  Ray,  in  Lagrange,  Mo.,  in  1874,  unfurled 
the  "Baptist  Battle  Flag."  In  1880  the  paper  was  moved 
to  St.  Louis  and  published  by  the  National  Baptist  Pubhshing 
Company,  which  Doctor  Ray  had  organized  and  of  which  he 
was  the  head.  The  name  of  the  paper  was  changed  to  the 
"American  Baptist  Flag."  The  assets  of  the  company,  in- 
cluding the  paper,  were  sold  in  February,  1897,  to  Dr.  J.  H. 
Hamlin  and  Rev.  J.  N.  Hall,  the  latter  becoming  sole  pro- 
prietor in  the  following  December.  In  June,  1899,  the  paper 
was  moved  to  Fulton,  Ky. ,  where  it  is  still  pubhshed,  Rev.  J. 
N.  Hall  being  editor  and  proprietor. 

' '  The  Baptist  Banner, ' '  Huntington,  W.  Va.  This  paper 
was  started  in  June,  1887.  It  is  pubhshed  by  a  company, 
of  which  Dr.  W.  P.  Walker  is  president.  Rev.  J.  D.  Wil- 
liams is  the  editor,  with  Rev.  T.  C.  Johnson  as  associate. 

"  The  North  Carolina  Baptist,'"  Fayetteville,  N.  C.  The 
first  number  appeared  in  January,  1891.  John  H.  Gates, 
Jr.,  is  the  editor  and  proprietor,  with  J.  W.  Cobb  as  field 
agent. 

"  The  Word  and  Way,''''  Kansas  City,  Mo.  This  paper 
began  in  June,  1896,  and  it  has  the  following  array  of  editorial 
talent,  viz :  S.  M.  Brown,  E.  K.  Maiden,  A.  C.  Rafferty, 
B.  W.  Wiseman,  and  W.  S.  Peace.  The  first  two  are  pro- 
prietors and  editors-in-chief 

^'  The  South  Carolina  Baptist,''''  Greenwood,  S.  C  Soon 
after  the  close  of  the  war  Rev.  W.  E.  Walters  started  the 
"South  Carolina  Baptist,"  at  Anderson,  S.  C. ;  but  in  three 
years  the  paper  was  bought  by  the  "  Rehgious  Herald." 
The  paper  was  revived  at  Greenwood,  in  August,  1897,  where 
it  is  now  published  with  Drs.  J.  W.  Perry  and  A.  McA.  Pitt- 
man  as  editors  and  Dr.  G.  W.  Gardner  as  business  manager. 

"  The  National  Baptist  Flag,'"  Bolivar,  Mo.  It  was 
in  January,  1899,  that  Dr.  D.  B.  Ray  unfurled  the  "National 
Baptist  Flag,"  of  which  he  is  editor  and  proprietor. 

' '  North  Georgia  Baptist, ' '  Cumming,  Ga.  This  paper 
began  "contending  for  the  truth"  (that  being  its  motto)  in 


SOUTHERN  AND  SOUTHWESTERN         2/7 

December,  1891.  It  is  published  by  the  North  Georgia 
Baptist  Pubhshing  Company,  and  no  editor's  name  is  given. 

"  The  Mississippi  Baptist,'"  Newton,  Miss.  Rev.  N.  L. 
Clark  is  the  editor  of  this  paper,  which  has  been  published 
since  March,  1891. 

''Southern  Baptist;'  Charlotte,  N.  C.  Rev.  W.  P.  Ma- 
theney  is  editor  and  proprietor.      It  began  in  October,  1895. 

"  The  Baptist  Argus,''  Louisville,  Ky.  Some  Baptists 
who  sided  with  Doctor  Whitsitt  in  the  "  Whitsitt  contro- 
versy," and  who  did  not  like  the  "Western  Recorder's" 
opposition  to  him,  decided  to  establish  a  paper  which  would 
fitly  represent  their  feeling  and  views,  and  in  October,  1897, 
they  started  the  "  Baptist  Argus,"  with  Dr.  J.  N.  Prestridge 
as  editor  and  Rev.  M.  P.  Hunt  as  associate.  When  the  lat- 
ter removed  to  Missouri  his  place  was  taken  by  Rev.  J.  E. 
Gwatkin. 

"  The  Baptist  Gleaner;'  Faragould,  Ark.  This  paper 
has  (November  21,  1900)  reached  the  forty-first  number  of  its 
third  volume.  It  is  issued  by  the  Gleaner  Publishing  Com- 
pany, with  Revs.  J.  H.  Peay  and  E.  J.  H.  McKinney  as  edit- 
ors, and  E.  P.  Minton,  J.  H.  Kitchen,  J.  D.  J,  Faulkner,  W. 
J.  Bearden,  J.  N.  Hartley,  M.  V.  Baird,  H.  F.  Vermillion, 
R.  P.  Bain,  A.  A.  Andrus,  T.  C.  Mahan,  O.  L.  H.  Cun- 
ningham, E.  H.  C.  Kenner,  and  S.  W.  Abernathy,  as  asso- 
ciates. 

"  The  Baptist  Signal;'  Ardniore,  I.  T.  This  signal,  with 
Rev.  J.  M.  B.  Gresham  as  editor,  shows  the  way  to  the 
people  of  the  Indian  Territory  and  surrounding  regions.  It 
has  just  closed  its  third  volume.  Beside  these  we  have  in 
the  South,  the  "  American  Baptist  "  (for  the  colored  people), 
Louisville;  the  "Baptist  Echo,"  J.  M.  Newburn,  editor,  a 
monthly  at  Rush,  Texas;  the  "Baptist  Herald,"  Milhgan, 
Florida,  M.  J.  Webb,  editor;  the  "Baptist  Herald,"  Z.  P. 
Smith,  editor,  Senatobia,  Miss.;  the  "Baptist  Leader,"  A. 
N.  McEwen,  editor,  Selma,  Ala.;  the  "Baptist  Mirror," 
E.  Z.  F.  Golden,  editor,  Macon,  Ga. ;  the  "Baptist  Mis- 
sionary," E.  W.  Dow,  editor,  Pierce  City,  Mo.;  the  "Baptist 
Pilot,"  bi-weekly,  C.  S.  Brown,  editor,  Winton,  S.  C. ;  the 
"Baptist  Visitor,"  L.  H.  Holt,  editor,  Guthrie,  O.  T. ;  the 
"Baptist  Visitor,"  X.  J.  Kincaid,  editor,  monthly,  White- 
wright,  Tex.;  the  "Bible  Baptist,"  E.  R.  Carswell,  editor,  At- 
lanta, Ga. ;  the"  Florida  Baptist  Herald,"  J.  S.  Stokes,  editor. 
Live  Oak,  Fla. ;  the  "  Florida  Evangelist  "  (for  colored  people), 
J.  M.  Waldron,  editor,  Jacksonville,  Fla.;  the  "  Georgia  Bap- 
tist," W.  J.  White,  editor,  Augusta,  Ga. ;  the  "  East  Tennessee 


2/8       BAPTIST    NEWSPAPER    AND    PERIODICAL    PRESS 

Baptist,"  S.  W.  Tindell,  editor,  Harrison,  Tenn. ;  "The 
Eagle,"  A.  R.  Davidson,  editor,  Tincle,  Ala.;  the  "Guar- 
dian," monthly,  T.  L.  Morris,  editor,  Waco,  Texas;  the 
"  Missionary  Worker,"  J.  B.  Gambrell,  editor,  semi-monthly, 
Dallas,  Texas;  "The  Missionary,"  S.  J.  Thomas,  editor, 
monthly,  Bellevue,  Texas;  the  "Liberty  Baptist,"  W.  H. 
Smith,  editor.  Horse  Cave,  Ky. ;  "Our  Missionary  Helper," 
Mrs.  C.  K.  Kerr,  editor,  monthly,  Decatur,  Ga. ;  the  "Mis- 
souri Messenger,"  S.  W.  Bacote,  editor,  Kansas  City,  Mo.; 
the  "Preacher-Safeguard,"  C.  A.  Buchanan,  editor,  semi- 
monthly, Kosciusko,  Miss.;  the  "Pulpit,  Pew,  and  Home," 
monthly,  Houston,  Texas;  the  "Southern  Watchman,"  A. 
N.  McEwen,  editor,  Mobile,  Ala.;  the  "  S.  C.  Standard," 
Columbia,  S.  C. ;  the  "South  Georgia  Messenger,"  B.  J. 
W.  Graham,  editor,  monthly,  Macon,  Ga. ;  "The  Star,"  S. 
W.  D.  Isaac,  editor.  Fort  Worth,  Texas;  the  "  S.  S.  Bap- 
tist," Mrs.  Nannie  R.  Ford,  editor,  semi-monthly,  St.  Louis, 
Mo.;  the  "S.  S.  and  Colportage  Helper,"  monthly,  E.  C. 
Everett,  editor,  San  Antonio,  Texas;  the  "  S.  S.  Worker," 
monthly,  Guthrie,  O.  T. ;  the  "  Virginia  Baptist,"  J.  E.  Jones, 
editor  (for  colored  people),  Richmond,  Va. ;  the  "Virginia 
Baptist,"  editor,  Norfolk,  Va.;  the  "West  Texas  Bap- 
tist," G.  W.  Smith,  editor,  Abilene,  Texas;  the  "Western 
N.  C.  Baptist,"  George  Wharton,  editor,  Waynesville,  N. 
C. ,  and  others.  Surely  there  is  no  lack  of  Baptist  papers  in 
the  South. 

The  Boards  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  have  all 
along  issued  periodicals.  First  there  was  "The  Home  and 
Foreign  Journal,"  which  was  divided  into  "The  Foreign 
Mission  Journal"  and  "Our  Home  Field."  Then  the 
Sunday-school  Board  began  soon  after  the  war  to  publish 
"Kind  Words,"  in  Greenville,  S.  C,  with  Drs.  B.  Manly, 
Jr.,  and  C.  C.  Bitting  in  charge.  When  the  Board  was 
transferred  to  Memphis  the  publication  was  continued  there, 
with  Dr.  Samuel  Boykin  as  editor.  Then  the  consolidation 
of  the  Home  and  Sunday-school  Boards  at  Atlanta  trans- 
ferred the  publication  there,  and  it  was  expanded  into  a 
series  of  Sunday-school  helps,  and,  as  a  result  of  the  "  Kind 
Words  controversy,"  the  Sunday-school  Board  was  revived 
and  located  at  Nashville,  where  a  complete  series  of  Sunday- 
school  helps  is  published  under  the  editorial  management  of 
Dr.  J.  M.  Frost,  corresponding  secretary,  and  Dr.  J.  J. 
Van  Ness. 

"  77/<?  Se?ninafy  Magazine,^'  Louisville  Ky.  In  1887 
the  students  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary, 


SOUTHERN  AND  SOUTHWESTERN         2/9 

the  faculty  co-operating,  began  to  publish  a  monthly  maga- 
zine, issued  only  during  the  session  of  eight  months  each 
year.  It  is  published  by  a  company  of  the  students,  who 
elect  editors  and  managers  at  the  opening  of  each  session. 
The  following  are  the  editors  for  the  current  session  (1900- 
1901):  A.  Y.  Napier,  W.  O.  Carver,  Lewis  Bristow,  C.  T. 
Willingham,  J.  E.  Briggs,  H.  C.  Smith,  and  H.  E.  Gabby, 
with  H.  C.  McGill  as  business  manager.  W.  T.  Amis  is 
president  of  the  Board  of  Directors. 

''Ford's  Christian  Repository;'  St.  Louis,  Mo.  The 
consideration  of  this  sterling  monthly  is  reserved  to  the  last 
on  account  of  its  unique  character.  In  January,  1852,  in 
Louisville,  Ky.,  appeared  the  first  number  of  "The  Christian 
Repository,"  with  John  L.  Waller  and  Charles  D.  Kirk  as 
editors.  The  next  year  Dr.  S.  H.  Ford  became  associated 
with  Doctor  Waller,  and,  on  the  death  of  the  latter  next 
year,  Dr.  Ford  became  sole  proprietor.  In  1855  he  married 
Miss  Sallie  Rochester,  who  afterward  wrote  "Grace  Tru- 
man," and  who  became  at  once  associated  with  her  husband 
in  editorial  work.  The  war  interrupted  the  publication  of 
the  "Repository,"  but  in  1871  it  was  re-established  in  St. 
Louis,  where  it  still  issues,  with  Dr.  S.  H.  and  Mrs.  Sallie 
Rochester  Ford  as  editors.  Doctor  Ford  is  the  senior  Bap- 
tist editor  of  the  South,  and  the  "Repository"  was  never 
better  or  more  helpful  to  the  cause  of  truth  and  righteous- 
ness than  it  is  to-day.  In  1881  "The  Christian  Repository  " 
purchased  "The  Home  Circle,"  published  by  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society,  and  continues  its  publication, 
joining  its  name  to  its  own. 

There  is  no  Baptist  periodical  in  Maryland.  Before  the 
war  "The  True  Union"  was  published  there,  edited  first 
by  the  Baptist  pastors  of  Baltimore  and  afterward  by  Dr. 
Franklin  Wilson.  Years  afterward  Dr.  H.  M.  Wharton 
started  "The  Baltimore  Baptist,"  associating  with  him  Dr. 
A.  C.  Barron.  The  name  of  the  paper  was  changed  to 
"The  Evangel,"  and  erelong  it  was  sold  to  "The  Com- 
monwealth," published  in  Philadelphia.  It  had  shortly 
before  absorbed  "The  Atlantic  Baptist,"  pubhshed  at  Nor- 
folk, Va.,  by  Dr.  J.  A.  Speight. 

This  sketch  of  the  Baptist  periodicals  of  the  South  empha- 
sizes the  question  often  asked  by  the  writer,  but  so  far  unan- 
swered. On  what  principles  should  the  number,  location,  and 
persoimel  of  our  Baptist  periodicals  be  determined  ? 

T,  T,  Eaton. 


XIX 

THE  BAPTIST  YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  UNION  OF 
AMERICA 


The  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  of  America  was  organ- 
ized at  a  large  and  representative  Convention  held  in  the 
Second  Baptist  Church,  Chicago,  III,  July  7,  8,  1891.  In 
common  with  other  bodies  of  Christians,  Baptist  churches  had 
felt  the  quickening  influences  of  what  is  known  as  "The 
Young  People's  Movement."  The  phenomenal  growth  of 
the  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor  had  directed  attention,  as 
never  before,  to  the  need  and  advantage  of  developing  and 
organizing  the  forces  of  young  life  in  the  churches.  Young 
people's  societies  which,  under  different  names,  had  long 
been  at  work,  adopted  the  watchwords  and  methods  of  the 
new  movement.  New  societies  were  organized.  All  felt  the 
thrill  of  the  new  enthusiasm.  As  the  movement  increased  in 
sweep  and  volume,  and  the  possibilities  of  it  became  more 
apparent,  its  relation  to  denominational  work  and  growth 
naturally  became  a  matter  of  discussion.  Many  strongly 
advocated  organization  within  denominational  lines. 

Prominent  among  the  advocates  of  this  policy  was  Rev.  O. 
W.  Van  Osdel,  who,  in  1887,  while  pastor  at  Ottawa,  Kan., 
published  a  plan  for  a  denominational  organization  of  Baptist 
young  people.  According  to  this  plan,  the  young  people  of 
a  church  were  to  be  organized  by  the  church  as  "  a  depart- 
ment for  work  and  special  training,"  and  not  to  form  a  sepa- 
rate society.  The  basis  of  union  was  a  covenant  in  place  of  a 
constitution.  Emphasis  was  placed  upon  the  training  of  the 
members  in  a  comprehensive  course  of  Bible  study,  in  dis- 
tinctive denominational  principles,  in  the  missionary  enter- 
prises of  the  denomination,  and  in  systematic  beneficence. 
It  contained  a  plea  that  time  be  given  for  the  consideration 
of  this  work  in  church,  Associational,  State,  and  national 
gatherings.  The  name  suggested  was  "Loyalists,"  and  the 
motto,  "  Loyalty  to  Christ  in  all  things,  at  all  times." 

An  extensive  correspondence  was  carried  on  with  pastors 
and  leaders.  From  many  of  them  encouraging  and  enthusi- 
280 


BAPTIST    YOUNG    PEOPLE'S    UNION    OF    AMERICA      28 1 

astic  responses  were  received.  Others  deprecated  the  move- 
ment as  being  too  exclusively  denominational,  and  as  antag- 
onistic to  Christian  Endeavor.  The  movement,  however, 
grew  apace.  It  was  evident  that  a  new  force,  not  to  be 
lightly  reckoned  with,  was  in  the  field.  The  States  in  the 
middle  West  became  the  scene  of  its  most  marked  and  rapid 
development,  and  in  some  instances,  the  arena  of  heated 
controversy.  The  first  of  the  States  to  hold  a  meeting  of  its 
Baptist  young  people  was  Kansas.  This  gathering  was  held  at 
Clay  Center,  Kan.,  in  October,  1889,  though  a  State  organi- 
zation was  not  formed  until  the  following  year.  To  Nebraska 
belongs  the  distinction  of  having  the  first  State  organization. 
This  was  formed  under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  L.  W.  Terry 
and  others,  at  Grand  Island,  Neb.,  in  October,  1889,  and 
was  styled,  "The  Nebraska  Convention  of  Baptist  Young 
People."  Its  platform  was  a  broad  one,  all  Baptist  young 
people's  societies  of  whatever  name  or  form  being  invited  to 
affiliate  for  common  denominational  ends.  In  the  State  of 
Wisconsin,  Rev.  J.  M.  Coon  had  been  zealously  engaged  in 
quickening  interest  in  distinctively  Baptist  societies,  and  had 
made  persistent  effort  to  introduce  the  work  into  the  State 
Convention.  In  other  States,  also,  the  movement  had  ob- 
tained strong  foothold. 

The  time  now  seemed  ripe  for  concerted  action  on  a  wider 
scale.  At  the  May  Anniversaries,  in  Chicago,  in  1890,  a 
conference  of  brethren  interested  in  the  movement  was  held 
in  the  Sunday-school  room  of  the  Immanuel  Church.  About 
eighty,  representing  fifteen  States  and  Territories,  were 
present.  E.  B.  Hulbert,  D.  d.,  of  Morgan  Park,  111.,  was 
chosen  chairman,  and  Rev.  J.  M.  Coon,  secretary.  After 
full  discussion,  the  plan  of  a  denominational  organization  was 
heartily  endorsed,  and  the  initial  steps  were  taken.  A  com- 
mittee, consisting  of  two  members  from  each  State  and  Terri- 
tory represented,  was  appointed,  with  power  to  add  to  its 
number  from  other  States  desiring  to  co-operate,  and  was 
charged  with  the  work  of  fostering  the  new  movement. 
Provision  was  made  for  an  Executive  Committee  of  three, 
which  was  composed  of  E.  B.  Hulbert,  d.  d.,  O.  W.  Van 
Osdel,  and  C.  Perren. 

The  decision  of  this  conference  was  the  signal  for  renewed 
activity.  During  the  summer  a  vigorous  correspondence  was 
carried  on,  co-operating  committees  were  secured  in  several 
States,  and  preparations  made  for  the  holding  of  a  large 
number  of  State  meetings  of  Baptist  young  people.  As  the 
work  advanced,  the  need  of  a  paper  that  should  be  a  medium 


282      BAPTIST    YOUNG    PEOPLE'S    UNION    OF    AMERICA 

of  communication,  and  that  should  embody  the  distinctive 
features  of  the  new  movement,  became  increasingly  evident. 
During  the  years  1888-1890,  Rev.  O.  W.  Van  Osdel  had 
issued  a  series  of  lessons,  entitled  "The  Apostles'  Doctrine," 
designed  to  encourage  among  young  people  the  doctrinal 
study  of  the  Bible.  If  work  of  this  kind,  which  was  regarded 
as  vital  to  the  movement,  was  to  be  carried  on,  some  form  of 
publication  was  a  necessity.  In  Wisconsin,  Rev.  J.  M.  Coon 
had  been  for  some  time  engaged  in  the  preparation  of  a  hand- 
book for  the  use  of  young  Christians,  and  had  agitated  the 
question  of  a  State  paper.  At  a  conference  held  with  him 
by  Rev.  O.  W.  Van  Osdel,  the  decision  to  start  a  paper  that 
should  represent  the  new  movement  was  reached.  The  firm 
of  Coon  and  Van  Osdel  was  formed,  and  on  October  16, 
1890,  the  first  issue  of  the  "  Loyahst "  was  published  in 
Chicago.  This  issue  contained  the  announcement  of  a 
national  meeting  to  be  held  in  July,  1891.  Preparations 
for  that  meeting  advanced  rapidly.  Before  the  close  of  1890 
fourteen  States  had  either  held  State  meetings  of  their  Baptist 
young  people,  or  had  taken  definite  action  looking  toward 
that  end. 

The  pubHcation  of  the  "Loyalist  "  was  a  determining  factor 
in  the  new  movement.  It  arrested  the  attention  of  the  de- 
nomination. It  precipitated  tendencies  and  gave  them  form. 
Among  those  who  had  from  the  outset  taken  a  deep  interest 
in  the  young  people's  work,  and  had  watched  every  phase  of 
its  development,  was  Benjamin  Griffith,  D.  D.,  secretary  of 
the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society.  The  need  of  edu- 
cating our  young  people  in  Baptist  principles,  and  of  enlisting 
their  intelligent  interest  in  all  forms  of  missionary  effort,  had 
deeply  impressed  him.  He  had  in  mind  an  extended  series 
of  publications  to  meet  that  need.  The  question  of  publish- 
ing a  paper  in  the  interests  of  the  young  people  had  been  a 
matter  of  conference  between  him  and  some  of  the  leaders  in 
the  work.  The  issue  of  the  "Loyalist"  determined  his 
action.  After  eight  numbers  of  that  paper  had  been  pub- 
lished, it  was  purchased  by  the  Publication  Society,  and  was 
issued  with  its  imprint  under  the  title,  "The  Young  People 
at  Work." 

In  the  meantime,  plans  for  the  July  Convention  were  ma- 
turing. As  the  result  of  a  conference  with  F.  L.  Wilkins,  d.  d., 
in  Davenport,  Iowa,  in  December,  1890,  it  was  at  first  de- 
cided that  the  Convention  should  be  held  in  that  city.  The 
place  of  meeting  was  subsequently  changed  to  the  Second 
Baptist  Church,  Chicago,  and  the  date  fixed  at  July  8,   9. 


BAPTIST    YOUNG    PEOPLE'S    UNION    OF    AMERICA      283 

Under  date  of  January  i,  1891,  a  letter  was  sent  to  the  co- 
operating committees  in  the  several  States,  asking  their  ap- 
proval of  a  form  of  call  for  a  National  Convention.  The  call, 
which  was  approved,  was  addressed  to  the  Baptist  churches 
of  America. 

The  publication  of  the  "Loyalist"  was  the  signal  for  a  fierce 
attack  upon  the  new  movement,  and  upon  the  name  by  which 
it  had  been  designated.  As  the  time  for  the  Convention 
drew  near  the  controversy  became  more  pronounced.  At 
this  juncture,  Dr.  Benjamin  Griffith  stepped  into  the  breach, 
and  with  his  characteristic  energy,  breadth  of  sympathy  and 
farsightedness,  sought  to  harmonize  the  conflicting  elements. 
At  his  instance,  largely,  a  conference  was  held  in  Philadelphia, 
April  22,  1891,  to  which  brethren  representing  all  varieties 
of  opinion  on  the  matter  at  issue  were  invited.  After  full 
discussion  a  basis  of  co-operation  for  all  local  young  people's 
societies  in  Baptist  churches  was  adopted.  In  securing  this 
result  the  influence  of  the  paper,  "Young  People  at  Work," 
was  very  marked,  as  from  the  first  it  had  advocated  an  or- 
ganization on  the  basis  of  inclusion. 

This  was  regarded  as  a  most  happy  adjustment  of  the  diffi- 
culty, and  was  hailed  with  general  satisfaction.  The  way  was 
now  ready  for  the  Chicago  Convention.  The  formal  call  was 
signed  by  representatives  of  twenty-one  States.  The  Con- 
vention assembled  in  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  Chicago, 
111.,  on  Tuesday,  July  7,  1891,  at  ten  o'clock  a.  m.  Its  ses- 
sions extended  through  two  days,  morning,  afternoon,  and 
evening.  The  attendance  exceeded  the  most  sanguine  ex- 
pectations. There  were  representatives  of  thirty-three  States 
and  Territories,  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  the  provinces 
of  Ontario  and  Nova  Scotia.  The  programme  had  been 
arranged  with  marked  care.  Many  of  the  most  effective 
speakers  in  the  denomination  addressed  the  assembly.  Men 
of  light  and  leading  took  part  in  shaping  the  form  and  pohcy 
of  the  movement.  Enthusiasm  rose  high.  Before  the  Con- 
vention closed  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  of  America 
was  fully  organized.  Forms  of  constitution — national  or  in- 
ternational. State,  Associational  and  local — were  adopted. 
A  full  list  of  officers  was  elected,  with  John  H.  Chapman, 
president;  F.  L.  Wilkins,  d.  d.,  J.  B.  Cranfill,  d.  d.,  and  O.' 
P.  Gifford,  D.  D.,  vice-presidents;  R.  F.  Y.  Pierce,  secretary; 
and  J.  O.  Staples,  treasurer. 

The  basis  of  union  was  distinctly  federative,  llie  object 
of  the  Union  was  declared  to  be  "  the  unification  of  Baptist 
young  people,   their  increased  spirituality,  their  stimulation 


284      BAPTIST    YOUNG    PEOPLE'S    UNION    OF    AMERICA 

in  Christian  service,  their  edification  in  Scripture  knowledge, 
their  instruction  in  Eaptist  history  and  doctrine,  and  their 
enhstment  in  missionary  activity  through  existing  denomina- 
tional organizations."  While  the  Union  is  thus  distinctively 
denominational,  as  its  name  implies,  yet  within  these  hues  it 
is  broadly  inclusive.  It  seeks  to  effect  a  fraternal  union  of 
all  Baptist  young  people's  organizations  in  America.  It  does 
not  insist  upon  uniformity  of  name  or  constitution.  It  under- 
takes no  legislative  function  over  local  societies.  It  simply 
seeks  to  bring  all  these  societies  into  helpful  fellowship  and 
active  co-operation,  and  to  relate  them  properly  to  our  great 
denominational  societies. 

The  feature  which  from  the  beginning  differentiated  the 
Union  most  clearly  from  the  young  people's  movement  in 
general  was  the  educational  feature.  It  was  felt  that  the 
enthusiasm  which  had  been  quickened  by  the  general  move- 
ment needed  to  be  supplemented  and  guided  by  wise  measures 
of  instruction  in  Christian  truth.  It  was  felt,  also,  that  our 
young  people  should  be  trained  to  an  inteUigent  and  self- 
respecting  denominational  loyalty  and  to  active  enlistment 
in  the  support  of  the  missionary  activities  of  the  denomina- 
tion. 

The  formulating  and  initiation  of  plans  for  the  attainment 
of  these  ends  was  no  easy  task.  It  was  pioneer  work. 
There  were  no  precedents  to  guide.  The  whole  scheme 
had  to  be  evolved  and  wrought  out.  The  field  to  be  covered 
was  a  broad  one,  the  United  States  and  Canada.  Through- 
out this  vast  field  local  centers  were  to  be  established,  State 
and  provincial  organizations  formed,  and  all,  in  turn,  to  be 
properly  related  to  the  central  body.  This  involved  an  im- 
mense correspondence,  the  preparation  of  technical  litera- 
ture, and  the  holding  of  almost  innumerable  meetings  and 
conventions.  At  an  early  day  it  was  deemed  essential  that 
the  paper  which  had  thus  far  represented  the  movement 
should  be  owned  and  controlled  by  the  Union.  It  was 
accordingly  purchased  from  the  American  Baptist  Publication 
Society,  and  the  property  was  transferred,  November  16, 
1 89 1,  to  headquarters  in  Chicago.  This  involved  the  added 
burden  of  editorial  work.  The  man  for  the  hour  and  for 
this  diversified  and  exacting  task  was  found  in  F.  L.  Wil- 
kins,  D.  D. ,  who  gave  himself  to  it  with  an  untiring  energy 
and  a  complete  devotion.  The  young  organization  was  also 
fortunate  in  having  at  its  head  so  energetic  and  consecrated 
a  man  as  John  H.  Chapman.  With  them  were  associated  an 
Executive   Committee,    composed    of   pastors  and  business 


BAPTIST    YOUNG    PEOPLe's    UNION    OF    AMERICA      285 

men,  who  gave  freely  of  their  time,  thought,  and  money 
to  the  enterprise. 

The  educational  aims  of  the  Union  were  made  prominent 
from  the  beginning.  A  department  was  opened  in  the  paper, 
under  the  heading  "The  Study  Hour,"  for  the  presenting 
of  definite  lines  of  study.  During  the  first  year  series  of 
lessons  were  furnished  by  Professor  Ernest  D.  Burton,  then 
of  Newton  Theological  Institution,  on  "Writers  of  the  New 
Testament  and  Their  Books"  ;  by  Professor  Ira  M.  Price, 
of  the  University  of  Chicago,  on  "The  Books  of  the  Old 
Testament,"  and  by  Rev.  J.  S.  Wrightnour,  then  of  Xenia, 
Ohio,  on  "  Study  of  Christian  Doctrine."  From  these  be- 
ginnings has  been  evolved  a  comprehensive  system  of  biblical 
and  missionary  education  for  young  people,  to  which  has 
been  given  the  name  of  the  Christian  Culture  Courses. 
These  courses  are  three  in  number,  each  extending  through 
four  years.  A  "Bible  Readers'  Course"  provides  for  the 
reading  of  the  entire  Scriptures,  the  first  year  being  given  to 
the  historical,  the  second  to  the  poetical,  the  third  to  the 
epistolary,  and  the  fourth  to  the  prophetical  books.  The 
daily  readings,  which  cover  the  whole  year,  are  prefaced  by 
introductions  to  the  several  books,  giving  the  historical  back- 
ground and  accompanied  by  brief  analytical  notes.  A  "Sa- 
cred Literature  Course  "  furnishes  lessons  by  eminent  biblical 
scholars,  who  treat  in  successive  years  "Preparations  for  the 
Messiah,"  "The  Life  and  Times  of  Christ,"  "The  Dawn 
of  Christianity,"  and  "The  Development  of  Christian  Doc- 
trine." A  "  Conquest  Missionary  Course  "  presents  a  view 
of  the  missionary  work  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  all 
departments,  at  home  and  abroad,  and  is  designed  to  fa- 
miliarize our  young  people  with  the  history,  growth,  present 
condition,  and  needs  of  our  missionary  enterprises.  While 
two  of  these  courses,  the  Bible  Readers'  and  the  Conquest 
Missionary,  offer  material  for  the  whole  year,  the  "study 
period  "  extends  only  through  twenty-five  weeks,  beginning 
October  i  and  ending  April  i,  and  is  supplemented  by  a 
written  examination. 

At  the  third  International  Convention,  held  in  Indianapolis 
in  1893,  a  junior  department  was  organized,  and  in  October 
of  the  following  year,  under  the  leadership  of  Mrs.  F.  L. 
Wilkins,  an  experimental  junior  course  was  carried  on  during 
the  fall  and  winter.  The  experiment  was  so  successful  that 
Christian  Culture  Courses  for  the  juniors,  similar  in  outhne  to 
those  of  the  seniors,  though  simpler  in  form,  were  provided, 
and  have  become  an  established  order.     The  Junior  Depart- 


286      BAPTIST    YOUNG    PEOPLe's    UNION    OF    AMERICA 

ment  now  has  its  own  organ,  the  "Junior  Baptist  Union," 
issued  monthly.  Evidence  of  the  interest  in  these  senior 
and  junior  courses,  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  at  the  examina- 
tions in  1900,  no  less  than  15,162  papers  were  received  in 
all  departments.  The  number  of  papers  too  falls  far  short 
of  the  number  of  those  who  pursue  the  studies. 

The  educational  scheme  of  the  Union  includes,  also,  an 
"Advanced  Christian  Culture  Course"  department,  for 
which  two  scholarly  volumes  have  already  been  pubhshed  : 
"The  Monuments  and  the  Old  Testament,"  by  Prof.  Ira  M. 
Price,  PH.  D. ,  of  the  University  of  Chicago,  and  "Two 
Thousand  Years  of  Missions  before  Carey,"  by  Lemuel  Call 
Barnes,  d.  d.  ,  of  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

A  delightful  feature  in  the  work  of  the  Union  is  the  hearty 
co-operation  in  it  of  Baptist  brethren  in  the  South.  While 
there  is  a  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  auxiliary  to  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention,  it  is  in  closest  affiliation  with 
the  parent  organization.  The  members  of  its  Board  of  man- 
agers are  the  representatives  of  their  several  States  on  the 
general  Board.  The  "  Baptist  Union  "  is  accepted  as  the  com- 
mon official  organ,  and  the  study  courses  are  heartily  com- 
mended. The  fellowship  fostered  by  the  Union  extends  even 
beyond  national  boundary  lines.  The  Baptists  of  Canada 
were  represented  at  the  first  convention,  and  have  contribu- 
ted in  no  small  measure  to  the  development  of  the  work. 
No  more  profitable  or  inspiring  convention  in  the  history  of 
the  Union  has  been  held  than  at  Toronto  in  1894,  nor  was 
hospitality  ever  dispensed  with  more  generous  hand  than  on 
that  occasion.  The  Union  holds  its  international  conven- 
tions in  July  of  each  year.  These  conventions  are  the  most 
largely  attended  gatherings  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in 
the  world.  They  furnish  inspiration  and  instruction.  Work- 
ers from  all  parts  of  the  great  field  come  together  to  compare 
notes,  and  to  hear  able  men  of  the  denomination  present 
their  best  thought  on  themes  vitally  related  to  Christian  char- 
acter and  service.  Such  gatherings  promote  fellowship.  They 
quicken  the  consciousness  of  a  common  life  and  bring  cheer 
to  the  hearts  of  those  who  toil  in  lonely  places. 

The  history  of  the  organization  has  abundantly  justified  its 
being,  and  vindicated  the  Avisdom  and  foresight  of  its  found- 
ers. It  is  an  educational  force.  The  pursuit  of  the  courses 
of  study  marked  out  cannot  fail  to  result  in  a  more  intelligent 
type  of  Christian  character,  and  in  larger  effectiveness  for 
Christian  service.  It  is  a  missionary  force,  disseminating  in- 
formation and  quickening  and  directing  missionary  impulse. 


BAPTIST    YOUNG    PEOPLE'S    UNION    OF    AMERICA      287 

It  is  a  denominational  force,  inculcating  the  distinctive  prin- 
ciples for  which  Baptists  stand,  and  seeking  properly  to  relate 
our  young  people  to  all  the  missionary  enterprises  of  the  de- 
nomination. It  came  into  the  field  at  an  opportune  time. 
It  has  wrought  a  good  work.  It  has  in  it  the  potency  and 
promise  of  still  larger  good. 

The  headquarters  of  the  Union  have  from  the  first  been  in 
Chicago.  It  still  retains  as  its  president  Mr.  John  H.  Chap- 
man, who  has  filled  out  almost  ten  years  of  service,  and  filled 
them  to  the  full  with  earnest,  prayerful,  self-denying  activity. 
F.  L.  Wilkins,  d.  d.,  the  pioneer  secretary,  continued  his 
service  through  a  term  of  six  years,  and  was  succeeded  by 
E.  E.  Chivers,  d.  d.,  who  served  as  general  secretary  and 
editor  for  four  years.  At  the  head  of  its  educational  work 
stands  Prof  Ira  M.  Price,  who  through  all  these  years  has 
largely  shaped  its  course,  and  to  whom  the  Baptist  denomi- 
nation in  America  owes  a  larger  debt  than  it  realizes.  The 
convention  of  1 901  will  mark  the  completion  of  the  first  dec- 
ade of  the  Union's  history.  The  record  is  one  of  large 
achievement.  The  leaders  may  well  thank  God  and  take 
courage. 

E.  E.  Chivers. 


XX 

THE  BAPTIST  CONGRESS 


The  Baptist  Congress  is  an  organized  forum  for  the  discus- 
sion of  current  questions,  religious,  social,  political,  or  philo- 
sophic. Its  institution  was  suggested,  in  part  at  least,  by  the 
success  of  certain  earlier  gatherings  for  the  exchange  of 
views. 

The  Baptists  of  Great  Britain  hold  the  anniversary  business 
assemblies  of  their  various  missionary  organizations  in  the 
month  of  May  and  then  in  the  autumn  comes  a  meeting  of 
the  Baptist  Union,  the  sessions,  while  extending  over  several 
days,  being  devoted  not  to  the  transaction  of  business,  but 
merely  to  conference  and  the  discussion  of  important  topics. 
This  gathering  has  been  the  great  occasion  of  the  year  for 
popular  interest,  the  attendance  being  large,  and  the  ad- 
dresses, which  are  very  fully  reported  in  the  daily  press,  often 
exciting  prolonged  discussion,  and  thus  the  influence  of  this 
autumnal  conference  has  been  very  great. 

In  the  Church  of  England  in  1861  was  organized  the 
Church  Congress.  This  is  a  purely  voluntary  gathering  of 
clergymen  and  laymen,  not  for  any  legislative  or  business 
purpose,  but  simply  for  the  discussion  of  subjects  which  are 
uppermost  in  popular  thought.  No  vote  or  other  action  is 
taken  in  any  direction.  This  Church  Congress  attracted  so 
wide  an  attention  that  it  was  followed  in  1874  by  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Church  Congress  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  this  country,  which  again,  by  its  interesting  meet- 
ings in  different  cities  of  the  United  States,  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  thinking  men  in  other  denominations. 

It  came  to  be  felt  by  many  that  there  should  be  organized 
among  American  Baptists  a  body  which  should  hold  similar 
meetings  for  the  discussion  of  questions  of  all  kinds.  The 
only  thing  necessary  for  the  starting  of  the  movement  was  for 
some  practical  man  to  come  forward  and  bring  together  these 
separated  persons  of  united  sentiment.  Shortly  after  the 
holding  of  the  Episcopalian  Church  Congress  in  Providence, 
R.  I. ,  Elias  H.  Johnson,  d.  d.  ,  then  of  that  city,  who  had  been 
interested  in  its  meetings,  sent  out  the  suggestion  to  several 


THE    BAPTIST    CONGRESS  289 

of  his  Baptist  brethren  for  a  private  conference  to  consider 
the  advisability  of  the  formation  of  a  Baptist  organization  on 
the  same  general  lines. 

This  conference  was  held  at  the  St.  Denis  Hotel,  in  New 
York,  on  November  29,  t88i.  There  were  present  E.  H. 
Johnson,  G.  D.  Boardman,  J.  B.  Thomas,  R.  S.  MacArthur, 
C.  D'W.  Bridgman,  George  Bullen,  T.  A.  K.  Gessler,  A.  J. 
Rowland,  Wayland  Hoyt,  A.  G.  Lawson,  J.  F.  Elder,  John 
Peddie,  H.  M.  Sanders,  and  Norman  Fox. 

The  discussion  that  followed  continued  through  two  ses- 
sions and  at  luncheon  in  between.  There  were  canvassed 
not  only  the  promised  advantages,  but  also  some  suggested 
difficulties  and  possible  forms  of  opposition.  At  last,  how- 
ever, a  unanimous  conclusion  was  arrived  at,  that  the  proposed 
organization  should  be  formed  and  the  necessary  steps  were 
taken. 

A  general  committee  was  constituted  consisting  of  persons 
contributing  five  dollars  annually,  this  committee  having  the 
general  control  of  the  work.  Of  this  George  Dana  Board- 
man,  D.  D.,  of  Philadelphia,  was  made  chairman.  From  the 
members  of  this  committee  there  was  appointed  an  Executive 
Committee,  consisting  of  persons  resident  in  New  York  and 
vicinity,  on  whom  devolved  the  details  of  operation.  This 
committee  as  originally  formed  consisted  of  J.  B.  Thomas, 
chairman  ;  Norman  Fox,  secretary ;  and  Messrs.  Lawson, 
Gessler,  Sanders,  Peddie,  Deane,  Elder,  Townsend,  Mac- 
Arthur,  Bridgman,  and  Hoyt. 

The  name  first  borne  by  the  organization  was  "The  Bap- 
tist Autumnal  Conference  for  the  Discussion  of  Current 
Questions."  For  "Autumnal  Conference"  was  afterward 
substituted  the  name  "Congress."  The  first  pubHc  meet- 
ing was  held  in  Brooklyn,  November  14,  15,  and  16,  1882, 
in  the  spacious  edifice  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  in  Pierre- 
pont  Street,  of  which  Dr.  J.  B.  Thomas  was  then  pastor. 
George  Dana  Boardman,  d.  d.  ,  presided.  The  meetings 
were  in  every  respect  a  success,  and  carried  with  them  an 
assurance  of  the  wide  influence  of  the  new  organization. 

The  next  annual  meeting  was  in  Boston,  Dr.  Alvah  Ho- 
vey,  of  Newton  Theological  Seminary,  presiding.  The  next 
autumn  the  gathering  was  in  Philadelphia,  President  H.  G. 
Weston,  of  Crozer  Theological  Seminary,  being  in  the  chair. 
The  next  assembly  was  in  Calvary  Church,  New  York,  Dr. 
Thomas  Armitage  being  the  presiding  officer.  In  1886  the 
meeting  was  in  Baltimore,  in  1887  in  Indianapolis,  in  1888 
at  Richmond,  in  1889  at  Toronto,  in  1890  at  New  Haven, 

T 


290  THE    BAPTIST    CONGRESS 

The  meetings  up  to  this  time  had  been  held  in  November, 
but  now  a  change  was  made  to  the  spring,  and  the  next 
meeting  was  held  in  May,  1892,  in  Philadelphia,  the  week 
before  the  Baptist  anniversaries  in  that  city.  The  attend- 
ance was  larger  than  it  had  ever  been  before,  but  for  various 
reasons  it  was  thought  best  to  return  to  the  autumnal  gather- 
ings, and  the  next  assemblage  was  in  November,  1893,  at 
Augusta,  Ga.  In  1894  the  meeting  was  in  Detroit,  in  1895 
at  Providence,  in  1896  at  Nashville,  in  1897  at  Chicago,  in 
1898  at  Buffalo,  in  1899  at  Pittsburg,  and  in  1900  at  Rich- 
mond. 

Though  the  meetings  of  the  Congress  have  always  been 
fairly  successful  as  to  numbers,  the  exercises  have  not  gen- 
erally been  such  as  to  attract  large  crowds.  Sometimes, 
indeed,  a  theological  or  social  question  will  command  the 
attention  of  the  general  public,  and  certain  of  the  discussions 
of  the  Congress  have  secured  a  large  attendance.  But  to  a 
great  extent  the  papers  and  addresses  have  been  on  topics 
which  would  interest  only  the  thoughtful  few.  In  each  city, 
however,  the  audiences  at  the  meetings  have  consisted  not 
only  of  Baptists,  but  also  of  thinking  persons  from  all  the 
churches. 

The  "current  questions"  which  the  Congress  has  dis- 
cussed are  questions  in  all  branches  of  study,  not  only  rehgious 
and  ecclesiastical,  but  also  educational,  social,  scientific, 
economic,  and  philosophical.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find  a 
list  of  topics  which  will  carry  the  investigator  over  a  wider 
field  of  thought.  Not  only  the  clergyman,  but  also  the 
thinking  layman  and  every  intelligent  student  finds  in  this 
catalogue  of  subjects  suggestions  for  extended  and  fruitful 
research. 

And  these  important  topics  have  been  discussed  by  truly 
competent  investigators.  The  foremost  ministers  and  lay- 
men of  the  Baptist  denomination  have  stood  upon  the  plat- 
form of  the  Congress.  There  need  be  no  hesitation  in 
saying  that  there  has  never  been  a  series  of  Baptist  public 
meetings  in  which  the  average  character  of  the  speakers  was 
as  high  as  has  been  that  of  those  who  have  read  papers  and 
made  addresses  at  the  meetings  of  the  Baptist  Congress. 

The  influence  of  the  meetings  has  not  been  limited  solely 
to  those  who  have  in  person  attended  the  discussions.  Ex- 
tended reports  of  those  discussions  have  been  given  in  the 
Baptist  journals  and  other  newspapers.  Of  each  meeting, 
except  the  first,  the  proceedings  have  been  published  in  full 
and  may  be  found   in  public  and  private  libraries.      By  the 


THE    BAFriST    CONGRESS  29 1 

newspaper  reports  and  these  published  volumes  the  influence 
of  the  Congress  has  been  widely  extended. 

The  foregoing  paragraphs  present  merely  certain  outward 
events  in  the  history  of  the  Baptist  Congress.  But  the  insti- 
tution has  had  an  internal  and  private  history  which  is  of  far 
more  significance.  Those  who  framed  the  organization  had 
for  their  object  "  the  discussion  of  current  questions."  But 
many  to  whom  they  made  known  their  plan  declared  imme- 
diately that  such  discussion  would  be  widely  frowned  upon, 
and  that  all  who  identified  themselves  with  the  proposed  in- 
stitution would  imperil  their  denominational  standing. 

One  of  the  New  York  daily  papers,  in  an  editorial  article 
on  the  first  meeting  of  the  organization,  noted  with  some  sur- 
prise that  no  papers  were  presented  in  defense  and  advocacy 
of  distinctive  Baptist  principles.  But  to  deal  with  these  was 
no  part  of  the  purpose  of  the  Congress.  There  was  needed 
no  new  gathering  to  listen  to  argument  on  points  concerning 
which  Baptists  were  fully  agreed.  The  object  of  the  assem- 
blage Avas  to  provide  for  the  discussion  of  matters  on  which 
there  were  differences  of  opinion.  When  a  "question"  is 
no  longer  "current,"  when  the  problem  has  been  settled, 
there  is  no  danger  in  assailing  the  exploded  error.  The 
doughty  champion  who  kicks  and  cudgels  a  dead  lion  may 
gain  great  glory  to  himself.  The  one  Avho  before  a  Baptist 
audience  will  prove  by  elaborate  argumentation  that  prelacy 
is  unscriptural,  that  infants  are  not  to  be  baptized,  will  gain 
no  end  of  applause.  But  when  there  is  a  difference  of  opinion 
among  the  brethren,  it  is  plain  that  to  provide  for  a  square 
discussion  of  the  question  is  to  arrange  for  the  utterance  of 
views  which  one  party  will  deem  erroneous,  and  if  this  party 
is  the  majority  such  utterance  may  bring  trouble  not  only 
on  the  speaker  who  has  dared  to  challenge  the  dominant 
opinion,  but  also  on  those  who  have  furnished  him  a  platform 
from  which  to  avow  his  dissent. 

The  Baptist  Congress  was  organized  upon  a  denial  of  the 
infallibility  not  only  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  but  of  the  Baptist 
churches  also,  upon  the  idea  that  even  "  the  whole  Baptist 
denomination"  might  err,  and  in  cases  where  a  respectable 
minority  of  intelligent  men  differed  from  the  current  opinion 
it  was  proposed  that  it  be  considered  whether  this  minority 
might  not  be  right  and  the  majority  wrong.  But  to  admit 
Aiat  there  could  be  even  a  "question"  whether  established 
Baptist  doctrine  or  usage  was  not  at  some  points  erroneous 
involved  a  hardihood  which  to  many  good  brethren  seemed 
perilous. 


292  THE    BAPTIST    CONGRESS 

Said  a  certain  prominent  Baptist:  "  I  do  not  believe  in 
furnishing  heretics  a  platform  from  which  to  air  their  notions. ' ' 
But  what  if,  like  the  pope  on  former  occasions,  the  majority, 
or  what  seems  to  be  the  majority,  are  in  error,  and  the 
"heretic"  speaks  the  truth  of  Christ,  may  we  not  wisely 
allow  him  to  open  to  us  the  Scriptures  and  argue  before  us 
whether  these  things  be  "so"?  The  Baptist  churches  have 
modified  their  views  on  divers  points,  and  who  knows  but 
they  may  still  learn  something  even  from  one  who  speaks 
"after  the  way  which  they  call  heresy"  ?  In  the  dealings  of 
the  Romans  with  Paul  the  proposed  Baptist  Congress  had  the 
clearest  apostohc  precedent.  The  idea  of  the  founders  of  the 
Baptist  Congress  was  the  old-fashioned  Baptist  idea  that  the 
truth  thrives  best  in  free  discussion,  that  the  most  effective 
means  of  suppressing  wrong  views  is  to  invite  the  erring 
brethren  to  the  platform  there  to  give  their  arguments  in  full ; 
there  being  also  provided  able  teachers  who  will  point  out 
there  and  then  just  wherein  the  new  opinions  are  erroneous. 

The  Congress  has  been  subjected  to  vehement  attack,  gen- 
erally on  the  part  of  those  whose  range  of  vision  was  not  wide 
enough  for  them  to  comprehend  its  purposes,  but  sometimes, 
it  may  be  feared,  by  men  who  thought  it  policy  to  cater  to 
the  majority.  Year  after  year,  however,  as  the  institution 
has  become  better  known  and  the  spirit  of  those  who  control 
it  has  become  more  fully  understood  it  has  gained  new  sup- 
porters. For  some  years  it  was  deemed  "an  experiment," 
but  now  that  it  has  held  its  Eighteenth  Annual  Session  it  may 
be  considered  to  have  become  a  permanent  part  of  the  ma- 
chinery of  the  Baptist  denomination. 

The  declaration  that  the  Baptist  denomination  is  illiberal 
and  prescriptive  is  grossly  unjust.  Men  who  have  been  freest 
to  express  their  dissent  from  dominant  opinions,  who  have 
openly  antagonized  current  views  on  points  at  which  the  de- 
nomination was  the  most  sensitive,  declare  that  in  no  Christian 
body  is  there  greater  freedom  of  thought  and  expression  than 
among  Baptists.  If  necessary,  instances  could  be  given  in 
support  of  this  contention.  Of  course  the  Baptist  who  at- 
tacks the  position  of  the  majority  of  his  brethen  will  not  un- 
likely arouse  a  counterblast.  This  simply  shows  that  Baptists 
are  not  latitudinarians,  that  liberty  of  utterance  in  Baptist 
circles  is  not  merely  the  result  of  indifference.  Liberty  can 
be  predicated  only  of  cases  in  which  the  majority  are  severely 
exercised  over  the  departure  from  the  current  opinion,  but 
still  allow  the  dissenters  freely  to  give  their  views.  Though 
Baptists  are  by  nature  as  illiberal  as  other  men,  they  have 


THE    BAPTIST    CONGRESS  293 

come  to  believe  their  own  doctrine,  that  the  truth  is  best 
estabhshed  not  by  persecution  but  by  free  discussion.  And 
while  the  open  platform  of  the  Baptist  Congress  may  be  re- 
garded as  simply  a  carrying  out  of  the  old  Baptist  principle, 
we  may  believe,  on  the  other  hand,  that  it  has  reacted  on  the 
denominational  sentiment  and  that  the  greater  freedom  of 
utterance  which  is  found  in  Baptist  circles  is  in  part,  at  least, 
a  result  of  the  fact  that  there  has  for  many  years  existed  in 
the  denomination,  a  body  before  which  any  respectable  mi- 
nority could  state  its  views  and  secure  for  them  a  full  and  fair 
consideration.  Not  merely  concerning  the  particular  ques- 
tions argued,  but  in  illustrating  the  broad  principle  of  free 
discussion,  the  Baptist  Congress  has  done  a  great  and  noble 
service  to  the  cause  of  truth. 

Norman  Fox. 


XXI 

ORGANIZED  WORK  OF  THE  DENOMINATION 

A  STUDY  IN  COMPARATIVE  METHODS 

NORTH  AND  SOUTH 


It  is  important  that  a  clear  statement  of  the  object  of  this 
chapter  be  given  at  the  outset.  It  is  not  proposed  to  make  a 
historical  study  of  our  missionary  societies.  This  will  be  done 
by  others.  Nor  is  this  merely  a  descriptive  article,  outlining 
the  various  departments  of  work  conducted  by  all  the  mis- 
sionary societies  of  the  Baptist  denomination.  For  the  pur- 
poses in  view  it  will  be  necessary  to  confine  attention  to  the 
general  missionary  organizations  of  the  denomination,  em- 
bracing the  three  larger  societies  of  the  North,  and  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention.  It  is  proposed  to  glance  briefly 
at  the  organization  and  methods  of  work  of  each  of  these 
bodies,  and  then  to  institute  a  comparison  between  those  of 
the  North  and  of  the  South.  It  may  be  well  also  for  the 
writer  to  say  that  his  attitude  is  sympathetic  toward  all  the 
constructive  and  missionary  work  of  the  denomination,  both 
North  and  South.  Being  a  native  of  the  South  and  having 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  ministry  in  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention,  he  could  not  cherish  other  than  a  most  affection- 
ate interest  in  all  its  work  ;  having  spent  several  years  in  a 
Northern  pastorate  and  in  close  touch  with  the  organized 
work  of  the  denomination  there,  he  feels  a  no  less  genuine 
interest  in  the  great  work  of  the  Northern  brotherhood. 

A    GLANCE    AT   THE    CONSTITUTIONS. 

At  this  point  it  will  aid  our  inquiries  if  we  glance  at  such 
provisions  in  the  constitutions  of  the  four  organizations  as 
bear  upon  our  object  and  point  of  view.     The  following  are 

Extracts  from  the  Constitution  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention. 

Art.  III.   The  Convention  shall  consist,   (i)  of  brethren 
who  contribute  funds,   or  are  delegated   by  Baptist   bodies 
contributing  funds  for  the  regular  work  of  the  Convention, 
294 


ORGANIZED    WORK    OF    THE    DENOMINATION  295 

on  the  basis  of  one  delegate  for  every  $250  actually  paid  into 
the  treasuries  of  the  Boards  during  the  fiscal  year,  ending 
the  30th  day  of  April  next  preceding  the  meeting  of  the 
Convention  ;  (2)  of  one  representative  from  each  of  the  Dis- 
trict Associations  which  co-operate  with  this  Convention,  pro- 
vided that  such  representative  be  formally  elected  at  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  District  Association  and  his  election 
certified  to  the  Secretaries  of  the  Convention,  either  in  writing 
or  by  a  copy  of  the  printed  Minutes. 

Art  V.  The  Convention  shall  elect  at  each  annual  meet- 
ing as  many  Boards  of  Managers  as  in  its  judgment  will  be 
necessary  for  carrying  out  the  benevolent  objects  it  may  de- 
termine to  promote — all  of  which  Boards  may  continue  in 
office  until  a  new  election.  Each  Board  shall  consist  of  a 
President,  Vice-Presidents,  Secretaries,  Treasurer,  Auditor, 
and  fifteen  other  members,  seven  of  whom,  including  one  or 
more  of  the  officers,  shall  form  a  quorum  for  the  transaction 
of  business  ;  provided,  that  any  of  the  Boards  may  have  the 
same  person  to  fill  the  two  positions  of  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary and  Treasurer.  To  each  Board  shall  be  committed, 
during  the  recess  of  the  Convention,  the  entire  management 
of  all  the  affairs  relating  to  the  objects  with  whose  interest  it 
shall  be  charged  ;  all  of  which  management  shall  be  in  strict 
accordance  with  the  constitutional  provisions  adopted  by  this 
Convention,  and  such  other  instructions  as  may  be  given  from 
time  to  time.  Each  Board  shall  have  power  to  make  such 
compensation  to  its  Secretaries  and  Treasurer  as  it  may  think 
right,  fill  the  vacancies  occurring  in  its  own  bodies,  and  enact 
its  own  By-laws. 

From  the  above  extracts  we  gather  the  following  facts  : 
First,  a  two-fold  basis  of  representation,  financial  and  associ- 
ational ;  second,  a  group  of  co-ordinate  Boards  elected  by 
the  Convention  annually  for  the  conduct  of  various  depart- 
ments of  work,  and  each  directly  responsible  to  the  Conven- 
tion itself;  third,  plenary  power  residing  in  the  annual  meet- 
ings of  the  Convention,  which  reserves  the  right  to  direct  the 
Boards  in  any  and  all  respects. 

Extracts  from  the  Constitution  of  the  American  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Union. 

The  Union  shall  be  composed  as  follows  :  All  missionaries 
of  the  Union  during  their  term  of  service.  All  life-members 
and  honorary  life-members. 

Any  regular  Baptist  church,  contributing  to  the  funds  of 


296  ORGANIZED    WORK    OF    THE    DENOMINATION 

the  Union,  may  appoint  one  annual  member.  If  the  sum 
contributed  in  the  year  amount  to  more  than  one  hundred 
dollars,  the  church  may  appoint  an  additional  member  for 
every  additional  one  hundred  dollars. 

Any  additional  or  local  Association  of  the  Baptist  denomi- 
nation, that  may  supply  the  funds  for  the  support  of  a  niis- 
sionary  or  missionaries,  may  appoint  one  annual  member  for 
every  one  hundred  dollars  paid  during  the  preceding  year 
through  the  treasurer  of  the  Union. 

Any  individual  may  become  an  honorary  hfe-member  by 
the  payment,  during  one  financial  year,  of  not  less  than  one 
hundred  dollars  ;  and  every  honorary  life-member  shall  have 
a  vote  in  the  meetings  of  tlie  Union  so  long  as  he  continues 
to  be  an  annual  contributor  to  the  treasury. 

T.  The  Board  of  Managers.  The  Board  of  Managers  shall 
be  composed  as  follows  : 

Seventy-five  elective  members,  of  whom  not  more  than 
three-fifths  shall  be  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  not  less  than 
one-fifth  shall  be  women,  these  members  to  be  elected  in 
three  equal  classes,  one  class  to  go  out  of  oiifice  at  each  annual 
meeting  and  its  place  to  be  supplied  by  a  new  election,  the 
same  proportionate  limitations  to  be  applied  to  the  several 
classes. 

At  its  first  meeting  it  [the  Board  of  Managers]  shall 
elect  by  ballot  an  Executive  Committee  of  fifteen  persons, 
not  more  than  eight  of  whom  shall  be  ministers  of  the  gospel, 
and  two-thirds  of  whom  shall  be  residents  of  Boston  or 
vicinity. 

2.  The  Executive  Committee.  The  Executive  Committee 
shall  hold  its  meetings  at  such  times  and  places  as  it  may  ap- 
point, shall  choose  its  own  chairman  and  recording  secretary, 
and  fill  any  vacancy  that  may  occur  in  its  own  number. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Executive  Committee  to  carry 
into  effect  the  votes  of  the  Union  and  the  instructions  of  the 
Board  of  Managers,  to  designate,  by  advice  of  the  Board,  the 
places  where  missions  shall  be  attempted,  to  establish  and 
superintend  the  same  ;  to  appoint  and  station  the  missionaries 
of  the  Union,  and  fix  their  compensation  ;  to  give  any  need- 
ful directions  to  the  agents,  missionaries,  secretaries,  and  treas- 
urer, in  the  discharge  of  their  duties  ;  to  make  all  appropri- 
ations to  be  paid  out  of  the  treasury  ;  to  employ  all  needful 
agencies  for  the  collection  of  funds  ;  and  in  general  to  per- 
form all  duties  necessary  to  promote  the  objects  of  the  Union, 
subject  always  to  the  limitations  of  this  constitution  and  the 
instructions  of  the  Board  and  the  Union. 


ORGANIZED    WORK    OF    THE    DENOMINATION  29/ 

The  following  is  a  brief  summary  of  the  above  provisions  : 
First,  a  membership  made  up  of  four  classes — missionaries, 
life-members,  honorary  members,  and  representatives  from  co- 
operating churches.  All  these  classes  are  appointed  on  the 
financial  basis  except  the  missionaries  ;  secondly,  a  Board  of 
Managers  elected  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Union,  which 
in  turn  elects  the  Executive  Committee,  fixes  salaries  of  its 
officers,  co-operates  with  it  in  establishing  new  mission  stations, 
and  gives  instructions  to  said  Committee  in  other  ways ; 
thirdly,  an  Executive  Committee  which  has  charge  of  the  ad- 
ministrative work  of  the  Union  on  the  home  and  foreign 
fields,  and  which  is  responsible  to  the  Board  of  Managers  and 
the  Union  ;  fourthly,  the  final  authority  over  Board  of  Man- 
agers and  Executive  Committee  residing  in  the  Union  itself. 

The  organization  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  is  similar  to 
that  of  the  Missionary  Union.  It  is  made  up  of  three  classes 
of  members,  viz  :  Annual  delegates  from  churches  contribu- 
ting to  its  treasury,  life-members,  and  life-directors.  The 
basis  of  its  membership  is  exclusively  financial.  The  Execu- 
tive Board  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  consists  of  fifteen 
managers  elected  annually  by  the  Society,  together  with  the 
treasurer,  auditors,  and  recording  secretary  of  the  Society. 
The  Executive  Board  manages  the  affairs  of  the  home  mission 
work,  and  is  responsible  directly  and  only  to  the  Society. 
The  Society  itself  is  final  authority  in  all  things. 

The  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  is  organized  on 
principles  closely  corresponding  to  those  of  the  Home  Mission 
Society,  as  outlined  above.  Its  membership  consists  of  dele- 
gates, annual  members,  honorary  life-members,  and  life-man- 
agers, all  of  whom  receive  their  appointment  on  a  basis  of 
money  contributed  to  the  work  of  the  Society.  The  affairs  of 
the  Society  are  in  the  hands  of  a  Board  of  Managers  elected 
annually  and  responsible  directly  to  the  Society,  which  retains 
full  authority  in  all  things. 

I.     ULTIMATE   AUTHORITY. 

Under  this  head  it  is  to  be  noted  that  all  the  organizations 
are  identical  in  the  provision  which  lodges  final  authority  in 
the  popular  representative  annual  meeting.  These  meet- 
ings, in  the  three  Northern  societies  and  in  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention,  legislate  for  their  Boards,  committees, 
and  various  subordinate  agencies.  Not  one  of  them  ever 
professes  or  attempts  to  legislate  for  the  churches.  Co- 
operation is  purely  voluntary.  There  is  no  constitutional 
hindrance  to  prevent  any  delegate  at  any  annual  meeting 


298  ORGANIZED    WORK    OF    THE    DENOMINATION 

from  introducing  resolutions  looking  to  reform  or  change  in 
any  respect  in  any  of  the  general  missionary  bodies.  But 
while  this  is  true  as  regards  constitutional  arrangement,  I 
think  it  can  fairly  be  said  that  in  the  Northern  societies  there 
is  less  of  initiative  in  matters  involving  important  changes  in 
administration  and  policy  in  the  annual  representative  meet- 
ing than  there  is  of  such  initiative  in  the  annual  meeting  of 
the  Southern  Baptist  Convention.  In  the  latter  body  nearly 
all  important  questions  come  first  before  the  Convention,  are 
there  discussed  and  settled,  and  referred  with  instructions  to 
the  Boards.  In  the  North  such  matters  usually  take  the 
form  of  recommendations  from  the  various  Boards  or  com- 
mittees and  are  then  acted  upon  at  the  annual  meeting.  Of 
course  there  are  exceptions,  North  and  South  ;  I  am  speak- 
ing now  of  the  rule.  The  good  and  the  evil  of  the  Northern 
and  Southern  usage  in  this  matter  may  easily  be  balanced 
against  one  another,  but  with  the  preponderance,  it  would 
seem,  somewhat  in  favor  of  the  Southern.  There  is  always 
danger  of  hasty  and  immature  action  in  a  popular  body  under 
the  stimulus  of  strong  feeling  or  oratory  leading  to  friction 
and  discord  afterward,  just  as  the  monopoly  of  vital  matters 
by  committees  and  Boards  tends  to  chill  the  interest  of  the 
constituency  at  large  and  lessen  attendance  at  annual  meet- 
ings. As  there  will  always  be  some  questions  which  should 
be  referred  to  wise  committees,  and  as  there  are  others 
whose  settlement  without  popular  endorsement  would  prove 
unavailing,  the  part  of  wisdom  would  seem  to  be  to  cultivate 
both  methods. 

II.     UNITY    OF    INTERESTS    INVOLVED. 

The  Southern  organization  possesses  advantages  over  the 
Northern  in  respect  to  the  unity  of  interests  involved  in 
three  particulars,  although  these  are  in  part  more  theoretical 
than  actual.      It  possesses  an  advantage, 

1.  In  the  General  Direction  of  its  Work.  Obviously  it 
ought  to  be  true  that  one  Convention  could  direct  its  three 
co-ordinate  Boards  along  their  respective  lines  of  work  with 
less  overlapping  and  collision  than  could  be  attained  by  three 
independent  organizations  attempting  to  cover  the  same  ter- 
ritory, even  though  their  work  is  different. 

2.  In  the  Distribution  of  Time  at  Annual  Meetings.  Under 
the  Southern  arrangement  the  time  can  be  apportioned  ac- 
cording to  the  relative  importance  of  the  subjects  presented. 
For  three  societies  to  hold  three  meetings  in  succession  of 
equal  length  as  in  the  North  would  seem  to  be  an  artificial 


ORGANIZED    WORK    OF    THE    DENOMINATION  299 

arrangement.  In  the  nature  of  the  case  it  is  not  ahvays  true 
that  the  interests  of  foreign,  home,  and  publication  societies 
need  exactly  the  same  length  of  time  for  their  consideration. 
The  result  may  be  that  one  meeting  is  crowded  for  time 
while  the  programme  of  another  is  padded  to  fill  out. 

3.  The  Ability  to  Settle  Differences.  Then  too,  it  is  an 
advantage  of  the  Southern  arrangement  that  there  is  a  general 
body  to  settle  differences  between  the  Boards.  In  the  North 
there  is  nothing  of  the  kind  save  the  slow  growth  of  popular 
sentiment. 

The  second  and  third  of  the  above  advantages  are  worthy 
of  emphasis  as  being  tangible  and  real.  As  to  the  first,  it 
must  be  confessed  that  it  is  to  a  considerable  extent  theoreti- 
cal. As  one  of  the  secretaries  said  some  time  ago  in  a  pubhc 
address  :  "The  tendency  is  for  it  to  become  a  hurdle-race 
between  the  Boards  as  to  which  will  outstrip  the  other."  It 
ought  to  be  said,  however,  that  rivalry  in  some  degree  is 
inevitable  under  any  arrangement  of  separate  Boards  or 
societies.  If  this  rivalry  is  generous  and  Christian  in  spirit 
it  is  not  to  be  deplored. 

III.     RELATIVE    NEARNESS    TO    THE    CHURCHES. 

A  matter  of  vital  importance  in  missionary  effort  is  the 
relations  sustained  by  the  general  missionary  body  to  the 
local  churches.  A  comparison  of  the  organizations  North 
and  South  in  this  respect  reveals  the  following  facts  :  In  the 
Missionary  Union  and  the  Publication  Society  a  contribution 
of  any  sum,  however  small,  to  the  work  of  the  society  entitles 
any  church  to  one  messenger  to  the  annual  meeting,  and,  in 
the  case  of  both  these  societies,  each  $100  additional  entitles 
to  an  additional  representative.  In  the  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety a  contribution  of  $10  entitles  to  one,  and  every  addi- 
tional contribution  of  $30  entitles  to  another  representative. 
In  the  Missionary  Union  all  missionaries  in  the  employ  of  the 
Union  are  entitled  to  membership  also.  With  this  exception 
the  basis  of  representation  in  the  Northern  societies  is  ex- 
clusively financial. 

In  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  the  membership  con- 
sists of  one  delegate  for  each  annual  contribution  of  $250  to 
the  work  of  its  Boards,  and  of  one  delegate  from  each  District 
Association  within  the  bounds  of  the  Convention. 

It  can  be  seen  from  the  above  facts  that  the  societies  of  the 
North  enjoy  the  advantage  of  a  more  direct  connection  with 
the  smaller  churches.  In  the  South  the  church  which  does 
not  contribute  so  much  as  $250  during  the  year  cannot  ap- 


300  ORGANIZED    WORK    OF    THE    DENOMINATION 

point  its  own  representative  to  the  Southern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion. The  appointments  are  usually  made  in  the  South  by 
the  various  State  Boards.  In  practice,  however,  any  Baptist 
in  good  standing  in  any  church  can  usually  receive  appoint- 
ment, if  he  will  indicate  his  wishes  to  the  State  Board  before 
the  delegation  is  completed.  This  matter  of  appointment  by 
the  State  Board  is  one  of  custom  only,  and  all  appointments 
can  be  referred  back  to  the  churches  at  any  time.  Indeed, 
in  the  larger  churches  the  appointments  are  often  made  wholly 
apart  from  the  State  Board. 

It  would  seem  from  the  above  showing  that  the  consensus 
of  the  Baptists  of  the  whole  country  is  in  favor  of  the  finan- 
cial basis  of  representation  as  a  permanent  principle  in  mis- 
sionary organization  and  effort.  Many  reasons  could  be  cited 
in  proof  of  the  wisdom  of  this  view.  Among  these  might  be 
named  the  following  :  Many  Baptists  are  practically,  if  not 
theoretically,  opposed  to  missions,  and  a  lukewarm  or  antag- 
onistic constituency  would  not  be  hkely  to  devise  the  wisest 
pohcies  and  methods  for  advancing  missions.  No  church  is 
so  weak  financially  that  it  can  make  no  contribution,  and  fail- 
ure to  contribute  is  clear  evidence  of  lack  of  interest.  Again, 
representation  should  be  in  relation  to  the  interests  involved. 
District  Associations  discuss  many  questions  in  which  all  the 
churches  are  interested,  some  of  them  not  connected  with 
money  contributions.  A  general  missionary  body  is  organ- 
ized for  a  specifically  missionary  purpose.  Hence  the  basis 
of  representation  need  not  be  the  same.  Further,  the  prin- 
ciple of  Christian  stewardship  requires  that  givers  of  money 
should  not  entrust  its  administration  into  the  hands  of  non- 
givers  who  are  lacking  in  sympathy  for  the  objects  of  the  gifts. 

IV.    SUBORDINATE    AGENCIES. 

In  the  employment  of  subordinate  agencies  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  their  work  the  societies  of  the  North  are  much 
in  advance  of  their  Southern  brethren.  This  is  particularly 
true  as  to  the  system  of  district  secretaries.  There  are,  of 
course,  defects  in  the  system,  but  beyond  question  it  is  a 
great  gain  to  have  a  vigorous  agent  on  every  part  of  the  terri- 
tory of  the  society,  whose  business  it  is  to  look  after  the 
special  interests  of  his  own  society.  Northern  Baptists  are 
willing  to  spend  money  to  get  money,  and  their  recognition 
of  this  principle  in  missionary  operations  is  usually  justified 
by  the  fruits. 

In  the  South  there  is  no  uniform  system  of  auxiliary  agen- 
cies for  prosecuting  the  work  of  the  three  general  Boards. 


ORGANIZED    WORK    OF    THE    DENOMINATION  3OI 

The  method  which  prevails  most  widely  is  for  the  secretary 
of  the  State  Mission  Board  to  represent  all  the  general  mis- 
sionary organizations  as  well,  and  in  some  cases  his  salary  is 
paid  jointly  by  the  State  and  general  Boards.  The  State  sec- 
retaries of  the  South  are  a  fine  body  of  men,  but  in  the 
nature  of  the  case,  no  one  man  can  represent  three  or  four 
interests  as  effectively  as  he  can  represent  one,  however  im- 
partial and  broadminded  he  may  be.  Besides  he  is  liable  to 
blame  from  his  brethren  of  the  State  Board  if  he  lays  too 
much  stress  on  the  general  interests,  and  vice  I'ersa. 

Of  course  objections  might  be  urged  against  both  of  these 
arrangements.  Against  the  arrangement  of  the  Northern  so- 
cieties the  cost  of  employing  so  many  district  secretaries' 
would  be  the  heaviest  count,  and  added  to  this  would  be  the 
friction  resulting  from  the  overlapping  of  fields,  and  the  du- 
plication and  even  multiplication  of  missionary  agencies  on 
the  same  territory.  Against  the  Southern  arrangement,  on 
the  other  hand,  might  be  urged  the  anomaly  of  laying  upon 
the  general  Boards  the  great  responsibility  of  prosecuting 
general  lines  of  mission  work,  and  then  limiting  their  powers, 
and  preventing  their  free  and  direct  access  to  the  churches, 
the  tendency  of  the  arrangement  being  to  transform  all  the 
Boards  into  disbursing  rather  than  collecting  agencies. 

The  relatively  small  sum  given  by  Southern  Baptists  to 
missions  when  compared  with  the  gifts  to  the  Northern  soci- 
eties is  cited  sometimes  in  proof  of  the  superiority  of  the 
arrangement  of  the  latter. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  various  causes 
operate  in  the  South  to  produce  this  result.  For  one  thing 
Southern  Baptists  have  been  and  are  far  more  numerous  in 
the  country  than  in  the  city.  Country  Baptists  are  not  as  a 
rule  less  liberal  than  others,  but  since  the  war  their  poverty 
has  been  great,  and  facilities  for  reaching  them  have  been 
limited.  Then  too,  Southern  Baptists  since  the  war  have 
been  compelled  to  rebuild  the  material  side  of  their  denom- 
inational life  from  the  foundations.  Academies,  colleges, 
universities,  meeting-houses,  and  other  enterprises  besides 
missions  have  absorbed  vast  sums,  and  this  burden  is  by  no 
means  yet  removed  from  their  shoulders. 

It  must  be  owned  further  by  the  impartial  student  of 
Southern  conditions  that  among  the  Baptists  doctrine  has  re- 
ceived, if  not  too  strong,  at  least  too  exclusive  an  emphasis. 
If  the  intense  loyalty  of  Southern  Baptists  to  doctrine  could 
be  en  listed  also  in  the  cause  of  woi-ld-wide  evangelization  there 
would  be  scarcely  a  limit  to  their  ultimate  power  in  this  di- 


302  ORGANIZED    WORK    OF    THE    DENOMINATION 

rection,  while  doctrinal  interests  would  not  suffer,  and  unity 
would  follow  as  a  choice  fruit  of  the  increased  power  of  love 
toward  Christ  and  men. 

The  above  facts  are  cited  to  show  that  other  considera- 
tions besides  that  of  organization  and  method  enter  into  the 
question  of  the  amount  of  money  raised  for  missions.  We 
may  conclude  our  comparison  as  to  subordinate  agencies 
with  the  general  statement  that  Northern  Baptists  are  in 
advance  of  their  Southern  brethren  in  their  willingness  to 
spend  money  to  get  money,  and  in  the  freedom  with  which 
the  societies  are  permitted  to  prosecute  their  work  in  the 
various  States. 

V.    SPECIAL    FEATURES. 

The  "life-membership"  feature  of  the  Northern  societies, 
based  also  on  money  contributed,  is  highly  valued  by  those 
in  position  to  observe  its  working.  It  tends  to  create  a  per- 
manent constituency  of  men  and  women  who  follow  the 
work  of  the  societies  with  interest  and  who  contribute  lib- 
erally to  its  needs.  In  the  South  the  district  Associational 
representative  is  valued  by  many  as  furnishing  a  means  of 
connection  with  every  district  Association  in  the  South. 

VI.    GENERAL    CONCLUSIONS. 

The  following  general  conclusions  result  from  our  study  : 

1.  Accord  with  Baptist  Principles.  All  our  Baptist  gen- 
eral missionary  organizations  are  strictly  in  accordance  with 
Baptist  principles  and  polity,  though  none  of  them  are  ideal 
in  operation. 

2.  Ideal  General  Features.  The  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention, with  its  co-ordinate  Boards,  is  more  nearly  the  ideal 
missionary  organization  in  its  general  features  than  are  the 
Northern  societies,  but  less  nearly  ideal  in  the  matter  of 
subordinate  agencies. 

3.  The  Deliberative  Element.  There  is  need  of  more  of 
the  deliberative  element  in  the  annual  meetings  of  the  North- 
ern societies,  and  there  is  need  of  more  prearrangement  for 
the  adequate  presentation  of  great  interests  than  has  been 
usual  in  the  Southern  Convention.  Such  prearrangement 
should  never  prevent  full  discussion.  It  is  useful  as  a  means 
of  introducing  great  missionary  themes  and  preventing  the 
loss  of  a  great  opportunity  often  due  to  lack  of  speakers  who 
have  made  special  preparation  on  the  subject. 

4.  Modifications  and  Improvements.  As  to  modifications 
and  improvements,  in   the   North   the  chief  need  is  for  an 


ORGANIZED    WORK    OF    THE    DENOMINATION  303 

increased  unity  and  co-ordination  of  interests,  while  in  the 
South  it  is  increased  facilities  for  "eliciting"  the  energies 
of  the  denomination.  In  the  South  we  are  admirably 
equipped  for  "combining  and  directing"  the  energies  of 
the  people,  but  are  sadly  crippled  in  our  facilities  for  eliciting 
those  energies,  and  it  is  obvious  that  agencies  for  combining 
and  directing  do  not  find  adequate  play  for  their  powers 
unless  they  are  attended  by  agencies  for  eliciting  as  well. 
There  is  significance  in  the  fact  that  the  general  organiza- 
tions, both  North  and  South,  have  recently  appointed  gen- 
eral committees  to  consider  questions  of  unifying  on  the  one 
hand  and  eliciting  and  developing  on  the  other.  Then  too, 
the  Commission  on  Systematic  Beneficence  in  the  North, 
with  its  noble  ideals,  has  in  the  last  few  years  given  fresh 
emphasis  to  the  great  need  of  regularity  and  system  as  well 
as  liberahty  in  our  gifts  to  various  denominational  enterprises. 
Finally,  it  may  be  remarked  that  the  writer  is  well  aware 
of  the  many  difficulties  involved  in  making  radical  changes 
in  our  general  societies  and  conventions,  and  his  position 
would  not  be  understood  if  it  were  construed  as  advocating 
revolutionary  measures.  The  attempt  has  been  to  indicate 
simply  a  few  lines  along  which  gradual  improvements  might 
be  effected.  It  should  be  remarked  further,  that  behind  all 
questions  of  organization  and  method  is  the  far  deeper  ques- 
tion of  life  and  spirit.  Missionary  spirit  and  life  are  creative 
and  constructive  forces,  and,  if  they  can  be  enlarged  and 
deepened  among  us,  questions  of  organization  will  find  solu- 
tion with  much  less  of  difficulty  and  danger. 

E.   Y.    MULLINS. 


XXII 

BAPTIST  STATE  CONVENTIONS 


PART  I 
NORTHERN 


As  new  territory  opened  up  in  our  country  in  the  earlier 
period  of  its  history  and  the  tide  of  immigration  set  in,  streams 
of  settlers  from  the  older  portions  of  New  England  and  New 
York  found  their  way  into  the  new  regions  along  and  beyond 
the  Ohio  River,  and  Baptist  churches  were  rapidly  multiplied. 
Large  accessions  Avere  made  to  the  growing  membership  as 
the  result  of  the  wonderful  revival  of  1790  which  swept  over 
the  country  and  continued  to  the  end  of  the  century.  It  was 
a  period  of  great  transition.  The  religious  life  had  primarily 
all  been  shaped  by  the  idea  of  the  independency  of  the  local 
church.  In  the  reaction  against  absolutism  Baptists  had  gone 
to  the  other  extreme  of  ultra-independence.  The  churches 
were  isolated  factors  and  all  there  was  of  the  denomination 
was  an  aggregation  of  these  units.  The  conditions  now  were 
rapidly  changing.  The  idea  of  extreme  independency  began 
to  give  way  and  a  more  spiritual  and  reasonable  view  pre- 
vailed. The  missionary  tours  of  the  "itinerant  evangelist" 
had  promoted  acquaintance  and  fellowship.  The  advantages 
of  Associational  union  for  more  effective  service  were  grow- 
ingly  recognized.  Churches  in  close  proximity  now  began  to 
unite  in  Associations.^  Before  the  close  of  the  century  fif- 
teen had  been  formed  in  the  New  England  and  the  Middle 
States  and  one  in  Ohio. 

While  the  missionary  activity  in  England  at  this  period 
culminated  in  the  formation  of  the  "Baptist  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel  among  the  Heathen,"  at  Kettering, 
in  1792,  in  this  country  all  the  missionary  effort  was  centered 

1  The  dates  of  the  Associations  organized  before  1800  are  as  follows  :  Philadelphia, 
1707;  Warren,  R.  I.,  1767;  Stonington,  Conn.,  1772;  Redstone,  Pa.,  1776;  Shafts- 
bury,  Vt.,  1781  ;  Woodstock,  Vt.,  17S3;  New  Hampshire  afterward  York,  Me.,  1785; 
Vermont,  Vt.,  1785  ;  New  York,  N.  Y.,  1791  ;  Warwick,  N.  Y.,  1791  ;  Otsego,  N.  Y., 
1795;  Rensselaerville,  N.  Y.,  1796  ;  Chemung,  Pa.,  1796  ;  Fairfield,  Vt.,  1796  ;  Miami, 
O.,  1797  ;  Delaware,  Del.,  before  1798. 


NORTHERN 


305 


upon  the  new  settlements  and  the  Indians.      These  objects 
demanded  the  whole  attention  and  energies  of  Baptists     The 
Idea  of  sendmg  missionaries  to  foreign  lands  had  not  dawned 
upon  the  churches.      The  only  agencies  employed  in  pro- 
motmg  this  home  work  were  individuals,  churches,  and  Asso- 
ciations.     It  is  remarkable  that  with  so  little  system  and  so 
litde  co-operation,  the  growth  should  have  been  as  great  as 
It  was.      As  the  work  extended  the  need  became  more  and 
more  urgent  for  other  agencies  that  would  unite  and  enlist  all 
the  churches  in  this  great  home  missionary  enterprise    There 
were  foundations,  but  no  structure  ;  luxuriant  and  spreading 
growth,  but  no  adequate  framework  of  organization  to  sus- 
tain it  and  make  it  more  fruitful;  abundance  of  material  at 
hand  for  a  denomination,  but  as  yet  no  denomination 

With  the  opening  of  the  new  century  there  occurred  many 
significant  events  which  gave  a  new  and  mighty  impulse  to 
education,  religion,  and  civilization.  There  was  intense 
missionary  activity  and  a  deep  revival  spirit  in  New  England 
and  the  Middle  States,  and  the  need  wis  keenly  felt  of  fddi 
tional  missionary  agencies  and  of  a  more  effectual  bond  of 
union  in  the  States.  The  work  of  pastors  and  itinerant  evan- 
gelists failed  of  securing  the  best  results,  because  they  could 
not  remain  to  gather  the  fruits  of  their  labors.  At  the  very 
opening  of  the  century  the  ministry  began  to  plan  for  mission- 

Zifthn^n  7''i"'  T^'r^  '''^'^  permanent  in  character 
than  that  of  the  church  and  the  local  Association.  They  be- 
leved  that  they  might  work  more  efficiently  through  compact 
local  organizations.  In  answer  to  this  need  and  out  of  the 
widespread  spirit  of  revival  that  prevailed  were  born  the  do- 
mestic missionary  societies. 

The  Baptists  of  Massachusetts-a  State  notable  for  initia- 
ive  force  in  political  and  religious  movements-were  the  first 
o  move  in  the  formation  of  a  domestic  organization.     A  few 
brethren  voluntarily  came  together  and  as  a  result  of  their 
conference,  the  '' Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Society  " 
was  organized  early  in   1802.     About  this  time  New  York 
State  Baptists  were  much  exercised  regarding  domestic  mis- 
'IT'i  ^l,-'"^         '^  ^  missionary  organization  known  as  the 
Lake  Missionary  Society,"  was  perfected  -for  the  prosecu- 
tion of  the  missionary  enterprise  in  the  destitute  regions  be- 
yond.       A  similar  organization  was  effected  shortly  after  in 
Connecticut.     The  field  of  labor  for  the  missionaries  of  these 
societies  was  not  limited  to  one  State,  but  comprehended  all  the 
new  sections  in  the  national  domain.      It  was  a  period  of  wide- 
spread revival  influences  and  of  unusual  missionary  activity 


306  BAPTIST    STATE    CONVENTIONS 

There  was,  therefore,  a  rapid  multiph'cation  in  church-mem- 
bership and  church  and  missionary  organizations,  and  amid 
these  deep  and  fervid  influences  the  denomination  took  the 
form  and  gained  the  power  which  has  made  it  the  mighty 
force  it  is  in  the  hfe  of  the  religious  world. 

As  the  century  advanced,  attention  was  called  more  and 
more  to  the  importance  of  more  closely  compacted  organiza- 
tion of  the  churches.  In  the  opening  decade  there  had  been 
a  demand  in  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  and  New  York  for 
such  an  organization,  and  as  interests  multiplied  and  the  de- 
nomination expanded,  the  need  was  more  and  more  felt  for 
an  organization  that  would  enlist  in  its  work  all  the  churches 
of  the  State  and  whose  aim  would  be  to  care  for  the  small  and 
destitute  fields  within  its  limits.  The  domestic  missionary 
societies,  Associations,  and  churches  in  the  New  England  and 
the  Middle  States,  had  operated  to  the  extent  of  their  means 
but  without  concert,  and  it  was  the  opinion  of  some  of  the 
fathers  that  a  State  organization  miglit  be  formed  that  would 
secure  united  action  of  these  bodies  and  that  thereby  could 
be  raised  a  greater  amount  of  money  and  a  larger  work  done 
than  could  be  secured  by  the  various  organizations.  They, 
therefore,  advocated  the  federation  of  the  churches  and  Asso- 
ciations of  the  State  in  a  State  missionary  organization.  As 
a  result,  in  182 1,  the  Baptist  Domestic  Missionary  Conven- 
tion of  the  State  of  New  York  was  organized,  having  for  its 
object  "to  promote  domestic  missions."  The  old  distrust 
of  any  organization  which  united  churches  and  which  might 
seem  in  any  way  to  centralize  in  it  or  have  delegated  to  it 
authority  outside  the  local  church  still  remained  among  the 
Baptists.  But  it  was  argued  that  if  it  was  possible  for  indi- 
viduals and  churches  to  unite  in  an  Association,  it  was  equally 
possible  to  unite  in  a  State  Convention.  When  the  call  was 
sent  out  in  182 1  for  the  organization  of  the  New  York  State 
Convention,  delegates  duly  appointed  by  only  five  of  the 
seventeen  Associations  met  and  organized  the  State  Mis- 
sionary Convention.  When  the  Massachusetts  State  Con- 
vention was  organized,  in  1824,  only  six  of  the  nine  Associa- 
tions were  represented  by  delegates.  At  the  time  of  the 
organization  of  the  New  Jersey  State  Convention  in  1829 
only  twenty-six  of  the  fifty-five  churches  in  the  State  could  be 
depended  upon  for  any  real  co-operation.  In  the  Vermont 
Constitution  one  of  the  provisions  still  is  :  "It  shall  not  by 
any  of  its  acts  or  agencies  infringe  on  the  rights  or  independ- 
ence of  the  churches."  The  New  York  State  Convention 
shortly  after  its  organization  absorbed  the  Hamilton  Mission- 


NORTHERN  30/ 

ary  Society,  an  outgrowth  of  the  Lake  Missionary  Society, 
which  carried  its  history  and  organization  back  to  1807.  The 
Connecticut  State  Convention  was  organized  in  1823,  and  the 
State  Conventions  of  Maine,  Massachusetts,  and  Vermont  the 
year  following.  In  the  decade  from  1820  to  1830  State  Con- 
ventions— or,  State  Associations  as  some  preferred  to  call 
them — were  organized  in  all  the  Eastern  and  Middle  States.^ 
Most  of  these  Conventions  were  the  direct  outgrowth  of  the 
domestic  missionary  organizations  of  earlier  origin,  but  less 
restricted  in  area  and  in  object. 

The  State  Conventions  of  the  middle  West,  with  the 
exception  of  that  of  Ohio,  organized  in  1826,  which  is  the 
outgrowth  of  the  Cincinnati  Baptist  Missionary  Society  formed 
two  years  earlier,  were  organized  directly  from  the  churches 
and  Associations.  When  the  great  Western  movement  began 
by  the  opening  up  of  Ohio  and  the  middle  West,  Baptist 
missionaries  kept  pace  with  the  progress  of  the  people  west- 
ward, and  the  Baptist  churches  of  New  England  and  the 
Middle  States  furnished  their  quota  of  those  who  went  out  to 
build  up  the  new  country.  They  took  with  them  Eastern 
ideas  and  methods  of  missionary  operations  and,  as  the  needs 
required,  very  readily  and  naturally  adopted  the  same  form 
of  organization  that  had  proved  efficient  in  their  home  States. 
The  Indiana  and  Michigan  Conventions  grew  out  of  churches 
and  Associations,  the  latter  being  modeled  largely  after  that 
of  New  York.  The  Illinois  Convention  was  formed  by  the 
union  of  the  Northwestern  and  Illinois  Conventions.  Beyond 
the  Mississippi  the  State  Conventions,  as  a  rule,  are  the  out- 
growth of  the  splendid  work  done  in  all  that  wide  territory 


1  The  dates  of  the  organization  of  the  several  State  Conventions  are  as  follows  :  New 
York  Conveiition,  1821.  In  1825  it  united  with  the  Hamilton  Missionary  Society,  an 
organization  formed  in  1808,  incorporated  in  1817,  and  that  had  absorbed  the  Lake 
Missionary  Society  formed  in  1807.  This  carries  the  date  of  the  organization  of  the 
New  York  Convention  back  to  1807  ;  Connecticut  Convention,  1823.  the  outgrowth  of  a 
society  formed  in  1811  ;  Massachusetts  Convention,  1824,  succeeding  the  Massachu- 
setts Baptist  Missionary  Society,  organized  in  1802  and  incorporated  in  1803  ;  Maine 
Convention,  1824,  the  outgrowth  of  a  society  organized  in  1804,  springing  out  of  the 
Bowdoinham  Association  of  1789,  which,  in  1799,  was  known  as  the  "Gospel  Mis- 
sion," its  purpose  being  to  provide  missionaries  for  the  destitute  parts  of  the  State  : 
Vermont  Convention,  1824;  Rhode  Island  Convention,  1825;  .New  Hampshire  Con- 
vention, 1826,  the  outgrowth  of  a  society  formed  in  i8ig  ;  Ohio  Convention,  1826,  in- 
corporated in  1834,  the  outgrowth  of  the  Cincinnati  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  formed 
in  1824;  Pennsylvania  Convention,  1827,  growing  out  of  the  Domestic  Missionary  So- 
ciety of  the  churches  ;  New  Jersey  Convention,  1830,  the  outgrowth  of  a  society  formed 
in  1803  ;  Indiana  Convention,  1832,  from  Associations  ;  Michigan  Convention,  1835, 
from  Associations  ;  Illinois  Convention,  1844,  by  union  of  the  Northwestern  Conven- 
tion and  the  Illinois  Baptist  Convention  ;  Wisconsin  Convention,  1844,  growing  out 
of  the  Wisconsin  Association  formed  in  1838  ;  Minnesota  Convention,  1859;  Kansas 
Convention,  1859;  Nebraska  Convention,  1867;  South  Dakota  Convention,  1S82  ; 
Colorado  Convention,  1883 ;  North  Dakota  Convention,  1S84  ;  Montana  Convention, 
1899,  growing  out  of  the  Montana  State  Association  formed  in  1883  ;  Northwest  Con- 
vention, 1887  ;  Oregon  Convention,  1885 ;  Northern  California  Convention,  1881 ; 
Southern  California  Convention,  1889. 


308  BAPTIST    STATE    CONVENTIONS 

by  the  earnest  and  consecrated  missionaries  of  the  Home 
Mission  Society. 

In  the  organization  of  the  State  Conventions  the  plan  was 
simple,  natural,  scriptural.  In  the  formation  of  the  church 
it  was  the  pride  of  Baptists  that  the  organization  was  taken 
"straight  from  the  Bible."  They  looked  to  the  same  au- 
thority for  guidance  in  the  organization  of  the  Associations 
and  the  State  Convention.  They  strenuously  guarded  against 
anything  hke  a  representative  or  authoritative  assembly,  or  the 
assumption  of  authority  of  one  over  another.  The  primal 
thought  of  the  State  Convention  was,  as  the  name  imphes, 
a  coming  together  of  the  churches  and  Associations,  through 
their  representatives,  for  conference  and  spiritual  quickening, 
something  as  the  churches  were  associated  together  in  Asso- 
ciations. The  object  had  in  view  was  the  same,  although 
they  were  not  all  patterned  after  the  same  model.  The 
mechanism  differed  somewhat,  all  the  work  in  some  instances 
being  under  one  Board,  in  others  under  committees,  and  in 
others,  as  in  the  case  of  Michigan,  under  the  supervision 
of  five  "special  Boards."  In  New  Jersey  the  work  of  the 
Board  is  entrusted  to  four  special  committees  and  in  southern 
California  to  five.  In  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts  there 
are  finance  committees  who  greatly  facilitate  the  work.  In 
the  State  of  California,  because  of  the  great  extent  of  terri- 
tory, there  are  two  State  Conventions.  In  every  other  State 
the  field  is  the  same,  being  co-extensive  with  the  boundaries 
of  the  State,  the  constituency  is  the  same,  the  membership  is 
the  same,  and  the  number  of  officers  and  of  directors  or 
trustees  and  their  duties  are  virtually  the  same.  In  addition 
to  the  usual  officers,  Connecticut  and  Michigan  have  each  an 
auditor  and  Massachusetts  two  auditors.  Rhode  Island,  lUi- 
nois,  and  Northwest  Conventions  have  each  a  historical 
secretary  or  registrar,  and  Iowa  has  a  missionary  secretary 
and  a  Sunday-school  secretary. 

In  the  way  of  illustration  of  the  internal  composition,  the 
New  York  State  Convention,  which  is  the  oldest  and  one  of 
the  largest,  may  be  taken  as  representative  of  them  all.  The 
membership  comprised  those  who  paid  one  dollar  and  sub- 
scribed to  the  constitution.  By  the  payment  of  twenty-five 
dollars  one  became  a  life-member.  By  the  payment  of  $ioo 
one  became  a  life-director.  The  officers  were  president, 
vice-president,  secretary,  treasurer,  and  eight  directors. 
Subsequently  the  number  of  directors  was  increased  to  thirty. 
The  burden  of  the  work  and  of  the  raising  of  money  was 
committed  to  the  superintendent  or  secretary.      The  presi- 


NORTHERN  309 

dent  was  not  expected  to  preside  at  the  annual  meetings,  a 
moderator  being  chosen  at  each  annual  gathering.  When 
the  Convention  was  reorganized  in  1874,  the  objects  were 
declared  to  be  :  (i)  To  promote  the  preaching  of  the  gospel 
and  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  Baptist  churches 
in  the  State  of  New  York.  (2)  To  encourage  the  common 
educational  interests  of  the  denomination  within  the  State. 
(3)  The  general  care  and  encouragement  of  denominational 
Sunday-school  work.  (4)  To  promote  denominational  ac- 
quaintance, fellowship,  and  growth. 

The  requirements  for  membership  were  changed  so  as  to 
comprise  delegates  annually  chosen  by  the  churches  and 
Associations  of  the  State  of  New  York,  the  Missionary  Com- 
mittees of  Associations,  together  with  those  persons  who 
have  heretofore  been  constituted  life-directors  and  hfe  or 
honorary  members.  Any  church  contributing  to  the  funds 
of  the  Convention  may  appoint  delegates,  and  every  Associa- 
tion shall  be  entitled  to  one  delegate  for  every  four  churches 
included  in  it,  a  part  of  which  delegates  shall  be  laymen. 
The  constitution  has  been  more  recently  changed  so  as  to 
include  in  addition:  (i)  "the  construction  and  care  of 
Baptist  church  properties,"  and  (2)  "to  quicken  and  de- 
velop interest  in  the  work  of  our  general  denominational 
societies." 

The  entire  work  of  the  State  Convention  was  placed,  in 
1874,  under  the  supervision  of  a  Board  of  Managers,  num- 
bering thirty,  one-third  of  whom  are  laymen,  and  one-third 
are  elected  each  year.  A  new  feature  was  the  construc- 
tion of  an  Executive  Committee,  and  the  burden  of  the 
management  and  the  work  during  the  year  were  consigned  to 
this  committee,  chosen  by  the  Board  of  Managers  after  the 
election  of  the  new  Board  at  the  annual  meeting.  The 
Executive  Committee  now  consists  of  nine  members,  the 
president  and  treasurer  being  members  ex  officio,  and  the 
corresponding  secretary  being  the  secretary  of  the  committee. 
The  Executive  Committee  holds  monthly  meetings,  gives 
careful  consideration  to  all  applications  recommended  by  the 
Missionary  Committee,  makes  all  appropriations  only  after 
such  recommendations,  and  raises,  in  connection  with  the 
missionary  committees,  all  the  funds  for  the  work.  The  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  also  receives  and  passes  upon  all  mission- 
ary reports,  and  the  salaries  are  only  paid  after  its  approval. 
In  the  stated  services  of  the  Convention  are  three  district 
missionaries,  one  each  for  the  Western,  Northern,  and  South- 
eastern districts  of  the  State,  seven  evangehsts  and  singing 


3  TO  BAPTIST    STATE    CONVENTIONS 

helpers,  besides  the  missionary  pastors,  a  portion  of  whose 
salaries  are  paid  by  the  Convention  by  "  piecing-out "  the 
salary  paid  by  the  church  or  churches  served.  The  field  em- 
braces the  whole  State,  in  which  there  are  forty-three  Asso- 
ciations, all  of  which  are  working  in  harmony  and  co-opera- 
tion with  the  Convention. 

The  State  Missionary  Conventions  of  Massachusetts  and 
New  York,  which  had  extended  their  missionary  operations 
into  Canada,  and  through  Ohio  and  Michigan  even  to  Wis- 
consin, became  incidentally  the  parent  of  the  American  Bap- 
tist Home  Mission  Society.  As  the  result  of  the  report  of 
missionary  John  M.  Peck  and  special  representative  Jonathan 
Goings  sent  out  to  the  west  by  the  Massachusetts  State  Con- 
vention, and  a  conference  on  their  return  with  the  New  York 
State  Convention,  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Soci- 
ety was  organized  in  New  York  in  1832.  Up  to  this  date  all 
the  home  mission  work,  except  what  had  been  done  for  a 
little  time  by  the  Triennial  Convention,  was  done  by  the 
State  Conventions  or  by  the  local  agencies  which  were  com- 
bined in  the  formation  of  the  State  Conventions.  When  the 
Home  Mission  Society  was  organized  the  constitution  was  so 
constructed  that  the  State  Conventions  might  enter  or  not 
into  auxihary  relationship  with  it  and  thereby  the  work  of 
each  be  promoted.  A  number  of  Conventions  at  once 
availed  themselves  of  this  opportunity.  There  was  no  con- 
stitutional provision  to  that  effect,  but  the  action  was  the 
result  of  resolutions  voluntarily  adopted  by  the  several  bodies. 
By  1843  twenty  of  the  twenty-five  State  Conventions  were 
working  on  the  "auxiliary  plan,"  but  embarrassments 
arising  to  the  national  society,  this  system  was  abolished  in 
1846  by  a  change  in  the  constitution.  It  was  a  critical  time 
for  many  of  the  Conventions,  thus  suddenly  forced  to  go 
alone  ;  but  as  they  began  to  grow  strong  many  of  them  did  a 
larger  and  more  satisfoctory  work  than  when  in  auxiliary 
relation  to  the  Home  Mission  Society.  Again,  in  1864, 
many  of  the  Conventions  entered  into  a  "plan  of  co-opera- 
tion with  the  Home  Mission  Society,  but  this  arrangement, 
after  ten  years,  was  again  terminated  by  that  Society.  After 
five  years  another  plan  of  co-operation  was  proposed,  which 
has  been  generally  adopted  by  the  Conventions  west  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  which  has  given  a  great  impetus  to  their 
work.  The  missionaries  in  the  service  of  these  Conventions 
are  virtually  the  missionaries  ot  the  Home  Mission  Society  ; 
they  report  to  its  Board  and  are  supported  wholly  or  in  part 
by  the  Society.      Until  the  last  ten  or  twelve  years,  the  West- 


NORTHERN  3  I  I 

ern  Conventions  did  but  little,  the  Home  Mission  Society- 
being  the  chief  evangelizing  agency  on  their  fields.  These 
Conventions  are  not  yet  strong,  but  as  the  country  fills  up 
and  churches  increase  they  will  be  to  that  great  region  what 
the  Eastern  Conventions  are  in  their  respective  States  to-day. 
It  is  impossible  adequately  to  estimate  the  results  secured 
to  our  Baptist  interests  in  the  States  or  to  the  denomination 
at  large  through  the  agency  of  the  State  Conventions.  In 
cultivating  the  local  home  field,  the  State  Conventions  have 
done  and  are  doing  a  work  that  no  other  society  has  done  or 
can  do  ;  they  have  laid  the  foundation  upon  which  every  de- 
nominational interest  is  now  building.  The  State  Conven- 
tions have  planted  Sunday-schools,  founded  churches,  and 
fostered  them  until  they  have  become  strong  ;  nourished  small 
and  dependent  bodies  into  churches  of  wide  influence  and 
spiritual  power  ;  promoted  educational  societies  and  institu- 
tions ;  imparted  inspiration  and  enthusiasm  to  all  denomina- 
tional objects,  and  greatly  stimulated  the  spirit  of  benevo- 
lence. The  existence  of  the  greater  proportion  of  the 
churches  of  the  Eastern,  Middle,  and  Western  States  is  due 
to  the  fostering  care  of  the  State  Conventions.  Along  with 
the  organization  of  the  State  Conventions,  either  begotten 
by  them  or  developed  under  their  auspices,  came  denomina- 
tional journaUsm  to  disseminate  information  ;  women's  mis- 
sionary societies,  the  progenitors  of  those  numerous  and 
helpful  auxiliaries  to  every  good  work  ;  educational  societies 
and  institutions  to  provide  an  educated  ministry  ;  Bible  so- 
cieties to  furnish  Bibles,  and  in  more  recent  years.  State  pas- 
tors' conferences,  societies  for  the  relief  of  aged  ministers 
and  widows,  and  young  people's  organizations.  Our  almost 
phenomenal  growth,  until  now  we  occupy  second  place  among 
the  great  denominations,  is  due  more  largely  than  we  are  apt 
to  think  to  the  reinforcing  influence  and  systematic  work  of 
the  State  Missionary  Conventions. 

In  attempting  to  estimate  the  influence  of  the  State  Con- 
ventions, it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  the  effect  of  the 
State  Conventions  in  unifying  the  churches,  in  promoting 
harmony,  maintaining  Baptist  standards,  preserving  universal 
adherence  to  the  word  of  God  as  the  only  rule  of  faith  and 
practice,  and  promoting  missionary  interest  and  effort,  has 
not  been  second  to  that  of  the  denominational  press  or  the 
great  national  societies.  The  annual  meetings,  equal  in  inter- 
est often  to  the  May  anniversaries,  afford  occasions  for  pro- 
moting acquaintance  and  Christian  fellowship,  for  bringing 
together  representatives  from  city  and  country,  from  small 


312  BAPTIST    STATE    CONVENTIONS 

and  large  churches,  and  for  the  presentation  of  and  confer- 
ence upon  all  matters  affecting  the  welfare  of  the  denomina- 
tion in  the  States.  It  is  impossible  rightly  to  estimate  the 
enthusiasm  and  spiritual  quickening  given  to  all  Baptist  in- 
terests by  these  gatherings. 

During  the  century  of  church  development  and  wonderful 
missionary  advancement  the  aggressive  missionary  spirit  fos- 
tered by  State  Conventions  has  been  the  strength  and  glory 
of  Baptists.  In  this  day  of  rapid  changes  in  the  rehgious, 
as  in  the  political  and  material  world,  it  is  difficult  to 
prophesy  what  changes  may  take  place  in  missionary  methods 
and  organization  through  federation  or  greater  unification  ; 
but  so  long  as  there  are  new  communities  to  be  evangelized, 
small  churches  to  be  built  up,  and  State  educational  and  mis- 
sion work  to  be  promoted,  so  long  will  there  be  need  for  the 
existence  of  the  State  Missionary  Conventions. 

John  B.  Calvert. 


PART  II 
SOUTHERN 

The  English  Baptists  (1689,  1691,  1692)  organized  the 
first  General  Assembhes.  Disclaiming  all  authority  over  the 
churches  these  bodies  claimed  no  other  function  than  advice 
and  co-operation  for  the  purpose  of  uniformity  in  doctrine 
and  practice,  raising  funds,  and  assisting  gifted  brethren,  thus 
looking,  at  the  start,  to  an  educated  ministry.^  This  was 
during  the  formative  or  disorderly  period  of  the  denomina- 
tion in  England.  Our  present  General  Assemblies  in  America 
originated  somewhat  under  the  same  conditions  and  for  the 
same  purposes. 

The  first  Baptist  General  Assembly  in  this  country  was  the 
Triennial  Convention,  1814,  organized  for  the  purpose  of 
promoting  foreign  missions — a  work  already  begun  by  the 
Baptists  of  England  in  1792  ;  and  under  the  impulse  of  this 
and  prior  movements  for  the  development  of  denominational 
Hfe,  originated  our  State  Baptist  Conventions.  All  of  the 
Southern  State  Conventions  are  constitutional  bodies,  or  de- 
liberative assemblies,  organized  and  governed  according  to 
the  pariiamentary  law  of  Dr.  Mell  or  Dr.  Kerfoot,  which  annu- 

1  Crosby,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  246-267. 


SOUTHERN  313 

ally  meet  for  the  transaction  of  such  business  as  involves  their 
State  work  in  missions,  education,  Sunday-schools,  orphan- 
ages, and  other  benevolences,  when  they  adjourn,  sine  die, 
and  leave  their  work,  ad  interim,  to  the  State  Boards  or  com- 
mittees appointed  for  the  purpose.  These  Conventions,  as 
already  intimated,  were  uniformly  organized  for  the  purpose 
of  promoting  missions  and  education — the  work  of  Sunday- 
schools,  orphanages,  or  other  benevolences  having  subse- 
quently, as  a  rule,  been  added  to  the  work  of  the  earlier  Con- 
ventions ;  and  though  originally  some  of  the  Conventions 
assumed  to  deal  in  matters  of  advice  regarding  discipline  or 
doctrine  and  practice  among  the  churches,  their  constitutions 
now  discard  such  questions.  Upon  all  general  moral  move- 
ments, such  as  slavery,  temperance,  divorce,  and  other  kin- 
dred subjects,  these  bodies  have  not  hesitated  to  pass  resolu- 
tions expressive  of  their  sense  in  the  creation  of  denomina- 
tional sentiment.  During  the  earlier  and  less  organized 
condition  of  our  denomination  these  Conventions  became  a 
unifying  power  against  the  anti-missionary  movement  in  most 
of  the  Southern  States,  and  much  of  our  denominational 
uniformity,  purity,  progress,  and  power  is  wholly  due  to  our 
State  Conventions  in  the  South.  The  Southern  State  Baptist 
Conventions  now  all  co-operate  with  the  Boards  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention  and  with  the  Southern  Baptist  Theolog- 
ical Seminary.  Each  Convention  annually  allows  a  subscrip- 
tion to  the  students'  fund  of  the  latter  institution,  and  with 
each  Convention  annually,  as  a  rule,  the  Woman's  Missionary 
Union  and  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  have  an  auxil- 
iary session  and  so  co-operate  with  the  Conventions  of  the 
States.  Besides  this,  many  of  the  State  Conventions  foster 
orphanages,  contribute  support  to  aged  ministers,  and  raise 
funds  for  ministerial  education  through  separate  Boards,  or 
through  the  general  State  Board  of  Missions. 

Originally  the  basis  of  representation  in  these  Conventions 
was  voluntary  and  then  numerical,  from  the  churches,  socie- 
ties, and  Associations  constituting  them.  At  first  they  were 
organized  by  their  movers  with  but  little  sympathy  from  the 
churches  or  other  organizations,  which  were  slow  to  co-operate 
in  general  movements  ;  but  in  course  of  time  representation 
became  regularly  appointed  from  constituent  bodies  and 
became  general  as  gradually  the  churches  and  Associations 
conformed  to  the  general  movement.  At  a  later  date  the 
missionary  and  educational  idea,  involving  the  contribution 
of  money,  grew  into  the  theory  of  a  financial  basis  of  repre- 
sentation.  Justice  demanded  that  the  churches,  societies,  Asso- 


314  BAPTIST    STATE    CONVENTIONS 

ciations,  or  individuals  that  gave  the  money  for  denominational 
objects  should  represent  the  distribution  of  the  same  through 
the  Conventions  ;  and  while  the  basis  of  representation  in  some 
of  our  Conventions  is  still  numerical  only,  in  most  of  them  it 
is  either  financial,  or  mixed,  as  in  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention. In  the  States  of  Kentucky,  Arkansas,  Mississippi, 
and  Louisiana,  the  basis  is  numerical ;  in  Virginia  and  Mis- 
souri, it  is  financial  ;  in  Georgia,  South  Carohna,  North  Caro- 
lina, and  Florida,  the  basis  is  financial,  save  for  Associational 
representation,  which  is  numerical ;  in  Texas,  Tennessee,  Ala- 
bama, and  Maryland,  the  basis  is  mixed,  or  both  numerical 
and  financial.  Virginia  provides  exclusively  for  representa- 
tion from  the  churches  ;  and  in  all  but  two  States,  Virginia 
and  Maryland,  the  district  Associations  are  aUowed  representa- 
tion based  upon  some  provision  for  co-operation,  except  in 
Tennessee  and  the  States  having  the  straight-out  numerical 
basis.  Societies,  missionary  and  educational,  are  admitted  in 
Maryland,  Louisiana,  Texas,  Georgia,  South  Carohna,  Ten- 
nessee, and  Florida,  in  every  case  upon  the  financial  basis, 
except  in  Louisiana.  In  some  of  the  Conventions,  Sunday- 
schools  and  Young  People's  Unions  are  allowed  representa- 
tion ;  but  only  two  State  Conventions,  after  the  example  of 
the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  admit  individuals,  as  in 
Tennessee  and  Alabama.  Ten  of  these  bodies  recognize,  in 
some  form,  the  financial  basis,  while  only  four  are  strictly 
numerical.  The  only  State  providing  for  women  delegates  is 
Arkansas  ;  and  only  in  North  Carolina  is  the  word  "white  " 
used  to  distinguish  the  constituency  intended.  Maryland 
alone  admits  the  colored  vnth.  the  white  in  its  representa- 
tion. 

I.    ORIGIN    AND    PROGRESS    OF    STATE    CONVENTIONS. 

I.  In  182 1  South  Carolina  led  in  the  organization  of  the  first 
Baptist  State  Convention,  chiefly  moved  by  Richard  Fur- 
man,  only  three  of  the  seven  Associations  in  the  State  partici- 
pating in  the  movement.  Under  the  leadership  of  such  men 
as  Oliver  Hart,  John  Stephens,  Philip  James,  John  Gano,  and 
others,  missionary  and  educational  objects  had  begun  to  be 
fostered  by  the  organization  of  the  Charleston  Association  in 
1751  ;  but  in  1826,  after  an  effort  moved  by  Richard  Fur- 
man,  W.  B.  Johnson,  and  others,  to  co-operate  with  Georgia 
in  the  establishment  of  an  institution  of  learning,  the  Con- 
vention estabUshed  the  Furman  Academy  and  Theological 
Institution  at  Edgefield,  which,  after  many  changes  and 
vicissitudes,  resulted  in  Furman  University,  in  1851.    Out  of 


SOUTHERN  315 

this  institution,  through  Doctor  James  P.  Boyce,  one  of  its 
professors,  it  may  be  said  that  the  Southern  Baptist  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  developed  at  Greenville,  now  located  at  Louis- 
vill  Ky. ,  and  which  has  been  the  foster  mother  of  a  large 
por     n  of  the  education  and  effective  ministry  of  the  South. 

2.  The  Georgia  Baptist  Convention,  so  called  in  1827, 
was  organized  in  1822  under  the  name  of  the  General  Asso- 
ciation. Only  two  of  the  district  Associations  (the  Georgia 
and  Ocmulgee)  sent  delegates  to  the  organization,  Jesse 
Mercer,  W.  T.  Brantly,  Sr. ,  W.  Hilman,  James  Armstrong, 
J.  P.  Marshall,  and  Cyrus  White,  assisted  by  visiting  breth- 
ren, among  whom  Avas  Adiel  Sherwood,  who  took  part  in  the 
dehberations.  Early  in  1800,  under  the  influence  of  Henry 
Holcombe,  Joseph  Clay,  and  Jesse  Mercer,  the  Powelton 
Conferences  were  instituted  for  the  promotion  of  missions 
and  education,  especially  among  the  Indians  in  the  western 
part  of  the  State.  Mount  Enon  College  (i 804-1 806)  had 
been  established  and  failed,  but,  under  the  continued  educa- 
tional agitation,  the  Mercer  Institute  was  established  at  Pen- 
field  in  1832,  which  in  1837  became  Mercer  University,  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Convention.  Having  early  espoused  the 
cause  of  foreign  missions  as  fostered  by  the  Triennial  Con- 
vention, the  Georgia  Convention  has  supported  all  the  objects 
of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  from  the  time  of  its 
origin,  and  it  has  done  a  magnificent  work  in  State  missions, 
Sunday-schools,  and  other  denominational  enterprises. 

3.  In  1823  the  Virginia  General  Association  was  formed 
against  great  and  determined  opposition.  Out  of  twenty 
Associations  and  40,000  Baptists  in  the  State,  only  fifteen 
messengers  were  present  at  the  organization,  among  them 
R.  B.  Semple,  J.  B.  Jeter,  and  Daniel  Witt.  Since  1800 
the  State  had  already  maintained  united  action  under  the 
General  Meeting  of  Correspondence,  and,  though  the  Gen- 
eral Association  had  vigorously  espoused  the  missionary 
cause,  the  Virginia  Baptists  were  slow  to  attempt  educational 
work.  Following  Luther  Rice,  they  had  centered  their  in- 
terest in  Columbian  College.  Under  the  patronage  or  fos- 
tering care  of  the  General  Association  the  Boards  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention  have  received  their  largest  sup- 
port among  Southern  States,  and  in  the  State  itself  it  has 
sustained,  in  spite  of  the  great  destitution  occasioned  by  the 
war,  a  vigorous  mission,  Sunday-school,  and  colportage  work 
under  respective  Boards. 

4.  The  Alabama  State  Convention  was  organized  in  1823, 
the  movement  being  led  mainly  by  J.  A.  Ronaldson.     The 


3l6  BAPTIST    STATE    CONVENTIONS 

body  was  constituted  with  twenty  members  from  a  few 
churches  and  seven  missionary  societies  founded  by  Christian 
women.  The  usual  revolt  of  the  anti-mission  movement  fol- 
lowed ;  but  the  Convention  entered  vigorously  upon  mis- 
sionary and  educational  work,  and  gradually  entrenched  itself 
in  the  hearts  of  intelligent  and  leading  Baptists.  In  1833 
the  body  began  to  plan  for  an  educational  institution,  and  in 
1834  a  manual  labor  school  was  estabhshed  at  Greensboro. 
In  1836  it  published  a  denominational  paper  and  organized 
the  Alabama  Bible  Society,  with  John  L.  Dagg  as  president. 
In  1839  the  Judson  Female  Institute  was  founded  in  Marion 
and  in  1842  this  institution  was  tendered  to  the  State  Con- 
vention ;  and  in  the  same  year  Howard  College,  for  the  edu- 
cation of  boys,  was  founded  at  Marion  and  took  the  place  of 
the  Greensboro  Institute,  which  had  failed.  From  this  date 
the  cause  of  Baptists  in  Alabama  began  to  flourish. 

5.  In  1830  the  Baptist  State  Convention  of  North  Caro- 
lina was  organized.  Early  in  the  century  the  State  was 
cursed  with  the  sterihty  and  strife  of  the  anti-mission  spirit. 
In  18 1 5  it  was  attempted  in  vain  to  organize  a  missionary 
movement,  but  the  constitution  of  the  Baptist  Benevolent 
Society  in  1830,  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the  present 
Convention,  due  largely  to  Thomas  H.  Meredith,  who  wrote 
and  published  the  constitution  beforehand.  Only  a  small 
number,  against  great  opposition,  entered  the  organization  ; 
but  the  courage  of  the  few,  coupled  with  wise  plans,  resulted 
in  the  immediate  and  efficient  introduction  of  the  work 
contemplated.  Soon  after  its  organization,  as  in  Georgia 
and  Virginia,  the  Convention  undertook  a  manual  labor 
school,  the  Wake  Forest  Institute,  which  was  succeeded  in 
1839  by  the  Wake  Forest  College,  one  of  the  most  popular 
and  influential  institutions  among  Southern  Baptists  and  a 
mighty  educational  force  among  the  North  Carolinians. 
Through  its  Boards  and  in  co-operation  with  the  Boards  of 
the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  this  Convention  has  ac- 
complished a  vast  work  in  education,  missions,  Sunday- 
schools,  colportage,  and  other  benevolence,  especially  in  its 
mountain  regions. 

6.  The  Tennessee  Baptist  Convention  was  organized  in 
1833  at  Mill  Creek  Church,  near  Nashville,  under  a  move- 
ment for  the  unification  of  the  Baptist  interests  of  the  State, 
led  by  Elders  Garner,  McConnico,  James  Whitsitt,  and  Peter 
S.  Gale.  Three  Boards,  in  conformity  with  the  three  divisions 
of  the  State,  were  appointed  to  conduct  its  affairs.  With  the 
anti-missionary  opposition   and    the  impracticability  of  the 


SOUTHERN  317 

plan,  which  continued  for  about  two  years,  the  organization 
ended  by  the  withdrawal  of  East  Tennessee  and  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Baptist  General  Association  of  East  Tennessee, 
under  the  leadership  of  Samuel  Love,  James  Kennon,  Elijah 
Rogers,  the  Talliaferros,  and  others.  This  became  a  large 
and  influential  body,  and  under  its  patronage,  in  1850, 
Carson  College,  at  Mossy  Creek,  was  established,  now  a 
flourishing  institution  of  learning  under  the  name  of  Carson 
and  Newman  College,  for  co-education  and  under  the  able 
presidency  of  Prof  J.  T.  Henderson.  Upon  the  dismember- 
ment of  the  State  Convention,  Middle  Tennessee  Baptists 
organized  the  Baptist  General  Association  of  Middle  Ten- 
nessee and  North  Alabama.  The  General  Association  held 
its  sessions,  without  much  efficiency,  until  1876,  when  it  dis- 
solved and  entered  the  newly  organized  State  Convention, 
as  subsequently  did  the  East  Tennessee  General  Association 
and  the  West  Tennessee  Convention,  which  latter  body  was 
organized  in  1835,  after  the  dissolution  of  the  old  State  Con- 
vention. This  latter  body  proved  to  be  a  progressive  mis- 
sionary and  educational  organization  during  its  existence,  co- 
operating with  East  and  Middle  Tennessee  in  the  promotion 
of  Union  University,  fostering  the  Brownsville  Female  College 
and  occupying  its  own  fields  of  destitution. 

The  present  Tennessee  Baptist  Convention  grew  out  of  a 
conference  of  Tennessee  Baptists  at  Murfreesboro,  1873,  to 
consider  the  re-establishment  or  removal  of  Union  University. 
The  result  was  the  estabhshment  of  the  Southwestern  Baptist 
University  at  Jackson,  Tenn.,  a  flourishing  institution  now 
presided  over  by  Dr.  G.  M.  Savage  ;  and  in  1874  a  gen- 
eral Convention  was  called  at  McKensie,  West  Tennessee, 
not  only  to  fi.x  the  status  and  destiny  of  this  university,  but  to 
unify  the  Baptist  interests  of  the  State  in  one  body.  In  1876 
the  Middle  Tennessee  General  Association  and  the  West 
Tennessee  Convention  dissolved  and  united  with  the  Conven- 
tion. Subsequently  the  East  Tennessee  General  Association 
did  likewise  with  the  understanding  that  Carson  College  should 
be  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  Southwestern  Baptist  Univer- 
sity in  the  patronage  of  the  State  Convention,  which  now  fosters 
every  Baptist  institution  in  the  State  under  its  auspices  with- 
out any  organic  connection  whatever.  Under  the  Boards 
of  the  Tennessee  Baptist  Convention  the  denomination  has 
rapidly  grown  since  1874  in  missionary  and  educational  work. 

7.  The  Kentucky  Baptist  State  Convention  was  organized 
in  1832  ;  but  the  opposition  of  the  churches  rendered  its 
operations   ineffective    and    unsatisfactory.      The    State   was 


3l8  BAPTIST    STATE    CONVENTIONS 

doubly  cursed  with  anti-missionism  and  Campbellism  ;  and  the 
ehmination  of  these  elements  from  the  Baptists  was  not  com- 
plete till  about  1835-1840.  The  Convention  met  for  several 
years  when  it  was  dissolved,  and  then,  in  1837,  the  General 
Association  of  Kentucky  Baptists  was  constituted,  with  fifty- 
seven  delegates.  Following  the  organization  of  the  General 
Association  a  great  revival  spread  through  the  State  as  in 
1800-1S03,  and  it  entered  at  once  upon  a  vigorous  work  of 
missions  and  evangelization,  which  has  estabhshed  many 
churches  and  added  more  than  100,000  members  to  the  de- 
nomination. The  Association  has  fostered  the  institutions  of 
learning  in  the  State  and  has  co-operated  efficiently  and  ex- 
tensively with  all  the  work  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion. 

8.  The  Missouri  Baptist  General  Association  was  formed 
in  1834.  As  in  other  States  the  Association  had  early  con- 
flict with  the  anti-mission  element.  Mission  work  had  begun 
in  the  State  before  its  organization  ;  and  at  a  small  and  in- 
formal meeting  at  Columbia,  1833,  the  anti-mission  spirit 
was  so  rife  as  to  threaten  violent  opposition.  Through  the 
influence  of  such  strong,  true  men  as  Ebenezer  Rogers, 
Roland  Hughes,  Tilman  Bell,  WiUiam  Mansfield,  and  others, 
missionary  measures  were  set  on  foot  and  greatly  blessed, 
the  result  of  which  was  the  organization  of  the  Central  Society, 
out  of  which  grew  the  General  Association,  which  entered 
upon  an  enlarged  mission  work,  providing  also  for  Christian 
education  and  the  circulation  of  religious  hterature.  Its 
operations  were  greatly  retarded  by  the  war,  and  in  1862,  at 
Rehoboth  Church,  in  Saline  County,  its  session  was  broken 
up  by  the  militia.  In  1865  its  committee  "  On  Relation  to 
Civil  Authorities  "  pronounced  the  old  position  of  Baptists 
against  the  "Oath  of  Loyalty."  From  1865-1867  there 
existed  the  new  Convention  of  "Loyal  Baptists"  in  the 
State  ;  but  in  1867  this  body  dissolved  and  united  with  the 
General  Association,  from  which  date  the  body  emerged  from 
darkness  and  entered  upon  its  present  career  of  prosperity. 

9.  The  Mississippi  Baptist  State  Convention  was  consti- 
tuted in  1836.  Its  purpose  was  to  create  a  community  of 
interest  in  missions  and  education,  and  to  foster  unity  and 
brotherly  love  among  the  Baptists  of  the  State.  Though  or- 
ganized at  the  period  of  the  great  anti-missionary  conflict, 
the  Mississippi  Baptists  do  not  seem  to  have  been  affected 
greatly  by  the  movement.  They  were  early  troubled  with 
Spanish  Catholic  persecution  and  Indian  hostility,  but  after 
the  battle  of  New  Orleans,  181 2,  the  denomination  began  to 


SOUTHERN  319 

make  progress.  From  the  start  the  Convention  entered 
heartily  upon  State  mission  work  and  co-operated  with  the 
Triennial  Convention  in  foreign  missions.  Since  1845,  as  in 
other  Southern  States,  the  body  has  cr  operated  with  the 
Boards  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  and  the  Southern 
Baptist  Theological  Seminary  ;  and  no  State  has  more  greatly 
prospered  under  its  Convention  in  home  and  foreign  mission 
work  than  Mississippi. 

10.  The  Maryland  Baptist  Union  was  formed  in  1836. 
Its  history  begins  with  the  great  anti-missionary  contest,  and 
the  Union  was  the  result  of  a  split  on  that  issue  in  the  Balti- 
more Association,  which,  in  1836,  passed  anti-mission  resolu- 
tions. Only  six  churches  were  represented  in  the  new  organ- 
ization, with  only  four  pastors — Stephen  P.  Hill,  George  F. 
Adams,  Thomas  Leaman,  and  Joseph  Metham.  Against 
great  odds  and  discouraging  circumstances,  the  Union  set  for- 
ward with  its  feeble  numbers  and  resources  upon  its  useful 
career,  and,  in  proportion  to  its  numbers  and  wealth,  has 
accomplished  perhaps  more  than  any  other  State  body  in  its 
work  of  missions  and  colportage.  In  1876,  the  Executive 
Board  organized  a  "  Lay  Worker's  Association,"  which  for 
years  reported  gratifying  results.  It  started  the  "Widows' 
and  Superannuated  Ministers'  Fund"  as  far  back  as  1839, 
which  now  amounts  to  $33,000.  Nearly  every  Baptist  church 
in  the  State  has  been  helped  by  the  Union  through  the  Bal- 
timore Baptist  Church  Extension  and  Building  and  Loan 
Fund,  which  originated  under  the  auspices  of  the  Union, 
1 853-1 869.  The  work  of  the  Union  among  the  colored 
people  has  been  most  gratifying,  and  the  colored  churches  of 
the  State  belong  to  the  Union.  In  187 1  the  constitution 
of  the  Union  was  so  changed  as  to  incorporate  the  work  of 
foreign  missions,  and  Maryland  Baptists  are  accredited  with 
the  largest  per  cent,  in  foreign  mission  contributions  to  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention.  To  this  body  belongs  the 
honor  of  having  originated  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation, in  1852,  in  Baltimore.  In  1870  it  recommended 
the  formation  of  district  Associations,  four  of  which  now  ex- 
ist. 

11.  The  Louisiana  Baptist  Convention  was  organized  in 
1848.  The  purpose  of  the  organization  was  the  union  and 
co-operation  of  Baptists  in  the  State  for  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  to  the  destitute.  The  body  was  first  called  "The 
Baptist  State  Convention  of  North  Louisiana,"  but  in  1853 
the  word  "North"  was  stricken  out.  Down  to  1852  the 
work  of  the  body  had   been  chiefly  missionary,  but  in  this 


320  BAPTIST    STATE    CONVENTIONS 

year  the  foundation  of  important  educational  interests  was 
laid.  The  Mount  Lebanon  School  was  established.  Out  of 
this  institution  grew  Mount  Lebanon  University,  under  the 
immediate  patronage  of  the  Convention,  and  it  flourished 
with  great  benefit  to  the  denomination  until  injured  by  the 
fortunes  of  the  war.  In  1870  overtures  were  made  by  the 
Mississippi  to  the  Louisiana  Baptists  to  unite  in  building  up 
the  college  at  Clinton  ;  and  in  1872  terms  of  union  and  co- 
operation were  agreed  upon,  and  with  great  advantage  to 
both  States  this  co-operation  continued  down  to  1S88,  ac- 
cording to  Paxton's  "History."  In  1870  the  Conven- 
tion began  to  co-operate  with  the  Boards  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention,  and  aid  was  sought  of  Northern  Baptists 
through  these  Boards.  Since  that  period  the  Convention  has 
done  an  enlarged  work  in  co-operation  with  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention,  and  the  Louisiana  Baptists  have  greatly 
prospered  in  the  State. 

12.  In  1848  the  Texas  Baptist  Convention  was  organized. 
This  body  continued  down  to  1885,  when  it  absorbed  Gen- 
eral Association  (No.  2)  and  became  the  Baptist  General 
Convention  of  Texas,  in  1886.  In  1853  the  Texas  Baptist 
General  Association  (No.  i)  was  organized,  but  this  organi- 
zation was  dissolved  and  became  the  Baptist  Convention  of 
Eastern  Texas,  in  1855.  This  Convention  held  fourteen  ses- 
sions, and  in  1 867-1868  changed  its  name  back  to  that  of 
Baptist  General  Association  (No.  2),  holding  eighteen  ses- 
sions till  1885,  when  it  was  absorbed  by  the  Baptist  General 
Convention  of  Texas,  as  already  seen.  Again  in  1877  the 
East  Texas  Baptist  Convention  was  organized,  and  dissolved 
in  1884.  There  was  also  a  North  Texas  Baptist  Missionary 
Convention,  organized  in  1879  and  dissolved  in  1884  ;  and 
in  1880  there  was  a  Central  Texas  Baptist  Convention  organ- 
ized which  also  dissolved  in  1884.  Thus  the  field  was  clear 
for  the  consolidation  of  all  the  Baptist  interests  in  the  State, 
in  1886,  when  the  Baptist  General  Convention  absorbed  all 
the  prior  Conventions  of  Texas  Baptists.  Recently,  however, 
the  Eastern  Texas  Convention  has  been  reorganized.  Aux- 
iUary  to  the  General  and  prior  Conventions  were  such  general 
bodies  as  the  Texas  Baptist  Educational  Society,  succeeded 
by  the  Texas  Baptist  Educational  Convention  in  1868,  the 
Sunday-school  Colportage  Convention  in  the  bounds  of  the 
Baptist  State  Convention,  organized  in  1868  ;  the  Texas 
Ministerial  Conference,  organized  in  1877  ;  the  Baptist 
Women's  Mission  Workers,  1878,  and  the  Baptist  Young 
People's  Union,    1891.       Among  the  great  institutions  of 


SOUTHERN  321 

Texas,  fostered  by  the  Convention  is  the  Buckner  Orphans' 
Home,  founded  in  18  79-1 880,  at  Paris,  Texas,  having  a 
property  now  worth  more  than  $100,000,  and  having  cared 
for  more  than  1,600  orphans  since  its  institution.  Texas 
Baptists  have  done  and  are  doing  a  vast  work  in  missions  and 
education  not  only  within  their  own  bounds,  but  abroad  in 
their  co-operation  with  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  and 
other  agencies. 

13.  The  Arkansas  Baptist  Convention  was  organized  in 
1848,  but  in  the  absence  of  information  which  I  have  strenu- 
ously sought  but  have  been  unable  to  secure,  it  is  impossible 
to  give  here  a  detailed  history  of  that  body.  In  addition  to 
the  State  Convention,  the  Southeastern  General  Association 
was  organized  in  1874,  and  near  the  same  period  was  organ- 
ized the  Northwestern  General  Association.  In  1841  anti- 
mission  troubles  arose  in  the  State,  and  resulted  in  the 
withdrawal  of  a  number  of  churches  and  the  organization  of 
an  Anti-mission  Association.  The  Convention  is  in  thorough 
sympathy  with  the  work  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention 
and  co-operates  vnth  the  work  of  all  its  Boards  and  with  the 
Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary.  It  is  doing  a  vigor- 
ous work  in  State  missions,  Sunday-schools,  and  colportage, 
and  the  State,  under  its  auspices,  is  growing  rapidly  in  num- 
bers and  influence. 

14.  The  Baptist  Convention  of  Florida  was  organized  in 
1854,  the  only  three  Associations  then  in  the  State  sending 
delegates.  The  usual  objects  of  such  organizations,  expressed 
in  the  constitution,  embraced  the  unity  and  co-operation  of 
the  denomination  in  its  missionary  and  educational  efforts 
to  promote  the  gospel.  Latterly,  the  women's  missionary 
societies.  Baptist  Young  People's  Unions  and  Sunday-schools 
were  allowed  representation  in  the  Convention.  But  little 
real  work  was  done  until  1880,  when  a  State  Board  of  Missions 
was  organized.  In  1840  there  were  but  few  churches  in  the 
State,  but  now  there  are  460,  with  284  ministers.  Many,  if 
not  most  of  these  churches,  have  been  aided  by  the  Conven- 
tion, which  has  also  planted  many  new  churches  in  the  State. 
There  are  now  twenty-three  district  Associations  in  the  State, 
largely  due  to  the  work  of  the  Convention,  and  the  destitute 
places  of  the  State  are  being  rapidly  occupied. 

15.  The  Oklahoma  State  Convention  was  organized  in 
1898,  and  united  with  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  but 
in  the  absence  of  the  minutes  of  the  late  sessions  of  that  body 
I  am  unable  to  give  the  details. 

George  A.   Lofton. 


XXIII 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  EDUCATIONAL  WORK 


PART  I 
IN  NORTHERN  AND  MIDDLE  STATES 

The  interest  of  American  Baptists  in  education  naturally 
followed  their  original  interest  in  "making  disciples."  Their 
early  impulse  was  strongly  evangelistic,  the  immediate  access 
of  each  soul  to  God  was  emphasized,  while  the  organization 
of  individuals  or  churches  in  permanent  enterprise  was  al- 
most entirely  neglected.  With  the  growth  of  Baptist  Asso- 
ciations, with  the  increase  of  denominational  coherency,  came 
the  possibihty  of  developing  institutions  which  should  mold 
the  future.  At  the  same  time  there  sprang  up  a  conviction 
that  fervor  and  unction  could  not  alone  equip  the  rising  min- 
istry, but  that  genuine  schools  of  the  prophets  must  be  estab- 
lished. All  early  Baptist  schools  had  as  their  prime  object 
the  better  equipment  of  ministers. 

To  the  Philadephia  Association  belongs  the  honor  of  lead- 
ing in  the  establishment  of  schools  both  in  the  North  and 
the  South,  and  to  its  faith  and  devotion  we  owe  Brown  Uni- 
versity on  the  one  hand,  and  Columbian  University  on  the 
other.  An  academy  at  Hopewell,  N.  J.,  had  been  estab- 
lished in  1736  by  Rev.  Isaac  Eaton,  and  here  was  educated 
James  Manning,  the  first  president  of  Brown  University. 
Encouraged  by  the  success  of  Hopewell  iVcademy,  the  Phila- 
delphia Baptists  resolved  to  found  either  in  the  Northern  or 
Southern  Colonies  a  fully  equipped  college.  Two  considera- 
tions led  to  the  selection  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  as  the  loca- 
tion :  First,  that  Rhode  Island  had  no  college  of  any  kind 
within  its  borders,  while  it  contained  many  Baptists  ;  secondly, 
that  it  was  the  only  one  of  the  Colonies  in  which  absolute  re- 
ligious freedom  could  be  guaranteed  to  the  new  enterprise. 
In  1763,  at  the  request  of  the  Philadelphia  Association,  Rev. 
James  Manning,  who  had  now  graduated  from  Princeton 
College,  went  to  Rhode  Island  to  consult  with  the  Baptists 
of  that  region.  In  1764  the  General  Assembly  granted  a 
322 


IN    NORTHERN    AND    MIDDLE    STATES  323 

charter  for  "  the  College  or  University  in  the  English  Colony 
of  Rhode  Island  and  Providence  Plantations  in  New  Eng- 
land, in  America  ;  the  Trustees  and  Fellows  at  any  time  here- 
after giving  such  more  particular  name  to  the  College,  in 
honor  of  the  greatest  and  most  distinguished  benefactor,  or 
otherwise,  as  they  shall  think  proper."  The  "benefactor" 
was  found  forty  years  later  in  Nicholas  Brown,  whose  gifts  to 
the  college  amounted  to  more  than  $160,000.  It  is  worthy 
of  note  that  the  charter  of  the  new  "  Rhode  Island  College  " 
breathes  the  true  spirit  of  religious  liberty,  and  considering 
the  age  in  which  it  was  written,  is  remarkably  hberal.  While 
it  places  Baptists  in  control  by  providing  that  the  president 
must  be  a  Baptist,  and  that  twenty-two  out  of  thirty-six  trus- 
tees and  eight  out  of  twelve  Fellows  shall  be  Baptists,  yet  it 
expressly  provides  against  sectarianism  by  directing  that  all 
the  leading  denominations  of  that  time,  Episcopahans,  Con- 
gregationalists,  and  Friends  shall  forever  be  represented  in  the 
corporation.  It  furthermore  stipulates  that  "into  this  lib- 
eral and  catholic  institution  shall  never  be  admitted  any  re- 
ligious tests."  Baptists  were  obviously  as  eager  to  secure 
hberty  for  others  as  for  themselves.  The  institution  founded 
in  this  broad  spirit  was  destined  to  become,  in  a  sense,  the 
mother  of  all  Baptist  schools  in  the  country. 

In  1765  James  Manning  became  president  of  the  infant 
enterprise,  and  by  his  personal  dignity,  winning  manner, 
nobility  of  character,  and  devotion  to  scholarship,  gave  the 
university  a  standing  and  an  aim  for  all  the  future.  But  the 
material  needs  were  urgent,  and  gifts  came  from  far  and  near. 
South  Carolina  and  Georgia  contributed  substantial  sums  to 
the  treasury,  several  Baptist  Associations  sent  regular  contri- 
butions, and  the  young  institution  was  close  to  the  hearts  of 
all  the  Baptists  of  America.  After  Manning's  death,  in  1791, 
Jonathan  Maxcy  succeeded  to  the  presidency  and  held  office 
until  1802.      At  this  time  150  students  were  in  attendance. 

The  third  president,  Asa  Messer,  served  the  university  for 
twenty-four  years,  and  witnessed  constant  growth  both  in 
faculty  and  students.  The  fourth  president,  Francis  Way- 
land,  entered  on  his  work  at  thirty-one  years  of  age,  coming 
from  the  pastorate  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  of  Boston. 
He  immediately  showed  such  insight  into  the  educational 
needs  of  his  time,  such  power  as  a  teacher,  such  fearless 
leadership  in  administration,  as  make  his  presidency  of  twen- 
ty-eight years  one  of  the  most  remarkable  in  the  history  of 
American  colleges.  Important  buildings  were  erected,  the 
funds  were  largely  increased,   great   changes    made    in   the 


324  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

course  of  Study,  and  President  Wayland's  famous  "Report 
to  the  Corporation  of  Brown  University,"  made  in  1850,  in 
its  advocacy  of  the  election  of  studies  by  the  students  and 
its  insistence  on  scientific  training,  marked  out  the  path  which 
all  American  colleges  have  since  followed. 

The  next  president.  Rev.  Barnes  Sears,  came  to  the  uni- 
versity after  wide  experience,  having  been  professor  at  New- 
ton Theological  Institute  and  secretary  of  the  Massachusetts 
Board  of  Education.  Under  his  administration  the  univer- 
sity returned  more  nearly  to  its  original  ideal  as  "  a  seminary 
of  polite  hterature,"  and  the  study  of  the  classics  received 
fresh  impetus.  Doctor  Sears  was  succeeded  in  1868  by  Rev. 
Alexis  Caswell,  who  had  long  served  the  university  as  pro- 
fessor, and  was  thoroughly  acquainted  with  its  needs. 

In  1872  Ezekiel  G.  Robinson  began  his  service  of  seven- 
teen years  in  the  presidency.  His  strong  intellect  was  felt 
at  once  in  all  departments  of  the  university,  and  the  enthu- 
siasm for  study  led  to  the  estabhshment  of  a  graduate  de- 
partment, which  has  since  become  an  important  feature.  In 
1889  E.  Benjamin  Andrews  became  president,  and  his  ten 
years  of  administration  modernized  and  almost  transformed 
the  university.  The  students  increased  from  268  to  860, 
and  many  new  departments  of  study  were  introduced.  The 
greatest  innovation  was  the  addition  of  the  Women's  Col- 
lege in  1 89 1,  an  independent  but  affiliated  institution,  which 
has  abundantly  justified  the  high  hopes  of  its  founders. 

After  the  resignation  of  Doctor  Andrews,  Rev.  William  H. 
R  Faunce  was  chosen  to  the  presidency,  and  entered  on  his 
duties  in  1899.  Recently  a  movement  to  increase  the  en- 
dowment of  the  university  by  $1,000,000  has  been  carried 
through,  and  to-day  the  venerable  university,  surrounded  by 
the  affection  of  3,000  hving  alumni,  stands  on  firmer  foun- 
dation than  ever  before.  It  has  trained  fifty-two  college 
presidents  and  nearly  900  ministers.  It  now  possesses  a  fac- 
ulty numbering  seventy-five,  and  nearly  900  students. 

Colby  College  obtained  its  charter  in  18 13,  and  opened  its 
doors  at  AVaterville,  Maine,  in  181 8,  under  the  name  of  the 
"Maine  Literary  and  Theological  Institution."  It  sprang 
out  of  a  deep  sense  of  the  need  of  better  education  for  the 
Baptist  ministry  of  that  region.  Rev.  Jeremiah  Chaplin 
began  his  work  as  professor  of  theology  in  18 18.  But  in 
182 1  the  name  of  the  institution  was  changed  to  Waterville 
College,  and  Doctor  Chaplin  became  president,  retaining 
that  position  until  1832.  After  him  came  a  long  line  of 
presidents,  the  longest  term  of  service  being  that  of  James 


IN    NORTHERN    AND    MIDDLE    STATES  325 

T.  Champlin,  who  presided  from  1857  to  1873.  During  his 
administration  Mr.  Gardner  Colby  became  deeply  interested 
in  the  college,  and  before  his  death  he  gave  to  it  about  ^200,- 
000.  In  1867  the  name  was  changed  to  Colby  University, 
now  Colby  College.  Governor  Abner  Coburn  was  another 
munificent  friend,  and  by  his  will  left  $200,000  to  the  col- 
lege. Since  1873  the  presidents  have  been  as  follows  : 
Henry  E.  Robins,  1873-1882  ;  George  D.  B.  Pepper, 
1882-1889  ;  Albion  W.  Small,  1889-1892  ;  Beniah  L. 
Whitman,  1892-1895  ;  Nathaniel  Butler,  1896-.  Since  1871 
Colby  has  opened  its  doors  to  young  women,  and  is  to- 
day doing  a  most  valuable  work.  No  longer  a  theological 
school,  it  possesses  and  perpetuates  the  best  tradition  of  the 
American  college. 

The  most  notable  attempt  at  theological  education  in  New 
England  was  made  when  in  1825  the  "Newton  Theological 
Institution"  began  its  work  at  Newton  Center,  Mass.  For 
three-quarters  of  a  century  this  school  of  the  prophets  has 
quietly  pursued  its  task,  and  has  left  an  abiding  impress  on 
the  entire  denomination.  In  its  list  of  teachers  are  to  be 
found  the  names  of  James  D.  Knowles,  Barnas  Sears,  Hora- 
tio B.  Hackett,  Heman  Lincoln,  Samuel  L.  Caldwell,  Alfred 
J.  Ripley,  and  Alvah  Hovey.  About  1,300  students  have 
entered  the  ministry  from  its  halls,  and  a  large  percentage  of 
them  have  become  Christian  missionaries.  Doctor  Hovey 
has  had,  perhaps,  the  most  notable  career  among  all  Newton's 
teachers.  In  1899  he  reached  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  his 
service  as  professor,  and  the  occasion  was  fittingly  celebrated 
by  a  great  gathering  of  the  alumni.  During  this  half-cen- 
tury Doctor  Hovey  has  by  his  catholicity  of  spirit,  breadth 
of  scholarship,  and  devotion  to  his  work,  left  a  permanent 
impress  not  only  on  his  own  students,  but  on  the  entire  min- 
istry of  the  Baptist  denomination.  Resigning  the  presi- 
dency in  1900,  he  was  succeeded  by  Nathan  E.  Wood. 
The  funds  of  the  institution  have  recently  been  largely  in- 
creased, and  strenuous  efforts  are  now  being  made  in  this 
direction.  At  the  same  time  the  trustees  have  adopted  the 
requirement  of  a  college  course,  or  its  equivalent,  as  prepar- 
atory to  theological  study.  This  requirement  is  doing  much 
to  hft  the  standard  of  our  ministry. 

The  Baptists  of  New  England  have  always  maintained  a 
number  of  good  academies,  which  have  rendered  excellent 
service.  Foremost  among  them  is  the  "Worcester  Acad- 
emy," which  ranks  with  the  finest  secondary  schools  in  the 
country.     The  work  of  Principal  D.  W,  Abercrombie  in  hft- 


326  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

ing  this  school  to  its  present  position  has  been  notable,  and 
has  made  him  one  of  the  true  successors  of  the  great  Eng- 
lish headmasters,  Arnold  and  Thwing  and  Quick.  The  acad- 
emy now  has  a  property  and  endowment  amounting  to  a  half 
million  dollars. 

The  Connecticut  Literary  Institution,  of  Sufifield,  Conn., 
began  its  work  in  1833.  Beautiful  for  situation,  it  has  pur- 
sued its  task  with  rare  courage  and  persistence,  and,  in  spite 
of  the  great  growth  of  public  high  schools,  is  full  of  promise 
for  the  future. 

Vermont  Academy  was  incorporated  in  1872,  and  located 
at  Saxtons  River,  Vermont.  Its  excellent  buildings  stand  in 
the  midst  of  rare  mountain  scenery,  and  though  sorely  ham- 
pered at  times  by  lack  of  funds,  the  institution  has  done 
noble  work.  Its  standards  were  never  higher,  or  its  outlook 
brighter  than  to-day. 

Maine  has  four  academies  under  Baptist  auspices — He- 
bron, Coburn,  Ricker,  and  Higgins.  The  funds  of  these  in- 
stitutions are  held  by  the  treasurer  of  Colby  College,  and  the 
relation  between  the  schools  and  the  college  is  naturally  very 
close. 

The  Baptists  of  the  Middle  States,  after  planting  Browai 
University,  attempted  no  new  educational  enterprise  until 
181 7,  when  it  was  voted  "when  funds  of  a  sufficient  amount 
shall  have  been  contributed  for  this  purpose,  to  establish  a 
classical  and  theological  seminary."  As  a  result  of  this 
movement,  Congress  granted  in  182 1  a  charter  to  what  is 
now  Columbian  University,  in  Washington,  D.  C.  The 
theological  work  was  subsequently  merged  in  Newton  Theo- 
logical Institution,  but  the  departments  of  law  and  medicine 
have  steadily  flourished.  Many  able  men  have  occupied 
chairs  in  Columbian  University,  and  some  of  the  foremost 
of  government  speciahsts  are  now  giving  instruction  there. 
If  adequate  endowment  is  provided  an  institution  of  great 
power  and  scope  will  at  once  arise  to  crown  the  noble  efforts 
of  the  past. 

It  would  require  a  long  narrative  to  explain  why  the  Bap- 
tists of  New  York  have  to-day  two  colleges  and  two  theo- 
logical seminaries  in  their  one  State,  and  possibly  no  narrative 
could  make  this  division  of  forces  seem  wise  or  rational. 
Each  movement  sprang  out  of  an  educational  society.  In 
181 7  thirteen  brethren  united  to  form  the  Baptist  Educa- 
tional Society  of  the  State  of  New  York  and  began  the  form- 
ation of  a  fund  for  the  work  of  educating  "pious  young 
men  for  the  ministry. ' '     A  school  was  opened  at  Hamilton, 


IN    NORTHERN    AND    MIDDLE    STATES  32/ 

N.  Y. ,  in  1820.  Out  of  this  grew  Madison  University,  char- 
tered in  1846.  The  subsequent  growth  of  this  institution  is 
due  chiefly  to  the  devotion  and  generosity  of  WiUiam  Colgate 
and  his  two  sons,  Samuel  and  James  B.  Colgate.  After  mak- 
ing several  large  gifts,  Mr.  James  B.  Colgate  finally  presented 
to  the  university  in  1891  the  sum  of  $1,000,000.  Its  name 
was  fittingly  changed  to  "Colgate  University,"  and  large  ad- 
ditions were  made  to  its  equipment.  But  by  the  side  of  IMr. 
Colgate  stood  another  man,  whose  impress  on  the  Baptists  of 
America  will  never  be  effaced,  Ebenezer  Dodge.  His  presi- 
dency of  over  twenty  years  was  unique  and  his  power  to 
mold  men  was  undisputed.  Colgate  University  to-day,  under 
the  administration  of  President  George  E.  Merrill,  is  doing 
in  its  three  departments — seminary,  college,  and  academy — 
a  most  valuable  work.  It  has  sent  forth  a  large  number  of 
foreign  missionaries,  while  the  work  of  Prof  W.  N.  Clarke, 
its  professor  of  theology,  has  affected  the  thinking  of  all 
denominations  of  Christians. 

For  a  few  years  prior  to  1850  the  Baptists  of  New  York 
State  were  greatly  agitated  over  a  proposition  to  remove 
Madison  University  to  Rochester.  Without  going  into  the 
details  of  the  memorable  struggle,  we  may  simply  state 
that  when  removal  was  legally  prevented  an  endowment  of 
$100,000  was  raised  to  establish  a  new  institution  at  Roches- 
ter. In  1850  the  doors  were  opened  and  several  professors 
and  a  number  of  students  came  from  Hamilton.  The  charter 
was  extremely  liberal,  with  no  specification  as  to  the  religious 
affinities  of  the  trustees.  But  as  the  large  majority  of  the 
trustees  were  Baptists,  the  denomination  has  always  regarded 
the  university  as  a  sacred  trust.  In  1853  Martin  B.  Ander- 
son was  chosen  president,  and  immediately  showed  remark- 
able abiUty  as  executive,  educator,  and  financier.  Like 
Doctor  Dodge  and  Doctor  Wayland,  his  power  was  in  his 
personality  rather  than  his  information,  and  he  seldom  failed 
to  infuse  his  own  energy  and  enthusiasm  into  his  students. 
He  was  in  himself,  through  his  long  career,  the  university's 
best  endowment.  Following  Doctor  Anderson,  David  J. 
Hill  was  chosen  president,  and  the  university  continued  to 
advance.  Having  resigned  to  enter  public  life.  Doctor  Hill 
was  succeeded  in  1900  by  Dr.  Rush  Rhees,  formerly  of 
Newton  Theological  Institution.  Rochester  University  has 
recently  opened  its  doors  to  women  in  response  to  a  demand 
from  the  people  of  the  city. 

The  Rochester  Theological  Seminary  was  established  by 
the   New  York  Baptist  Union  for   Ministerial   Education  in 


328  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

1850.  Unfortunately,  it  was  not  officially  linked  with  the 
university,  although  some  of  the  earlier  professors  taught  in 
both  institutions.  Dr.  John  S.  Maginnis  and  Dr.  Thomas  J. 
Conant  were  able  teachers  and  moving  powers  in  the  first 
years  of  the  seminary.  But  in  1853  Dr.  Ezekiel  G.  Robin- 
son was  called  to  the  presidency,  and  for  nineteen  years  he 
held  that  office,  impressing  himself  on  all  his  students  and 
perceptibly  shaping  the  entire  Baptist  ministry  of  the  North- 
ern States.  None  of  our  theological  teachers  have  ever 
aroused  greater  personal  regard  or  left  a  nobler  record.  After 
Doctor  Robinson  accepted  the  presidency  of  Brown  Uni- 
versity, in  1872,  Dr.  Augustus  H.  Strong  was  called  to  the 
position,  and  the  seminary  has  steadily  maintained  its  high 
traditions  while  greatly  increasing  its  material  resources.  By 
requiring  a  collegiate  education  as  preparatory  to  seminary 
work  the  institution  has  done  much  to  raise  the  intellectual 
level  of  the  Baptist  ministry,  and  its  example  in  this  respect 
has  been  followed  by  almost  every  Northern  Baptist  semi- 
nary. The  gifts  of  Mr.  John  D.  Rockefeller  and  his  brother, 
William  Rockefeller,  and  those  of  Mr.  John  B.  Trevor,  en- 
couraged many  smaller  givers,  and  the  seminary  now  has  over 
;^75o,ooo  in  endowment  and  buildings.  Doctor  Strong  has 
by  his  work  as  administrator,  teacher,  and  writer  been  one 
of  the  leaders  of  modern  Christian  thought.  The  German 
department  of  the  seminary  has  done  an  important  service, 
largely  owing  to  the  abihty  and  devotion  of  Augustus  Rausch- 
enbusch,  who  took  charge  of  this  work  in  1858. 

Crozer  Theological  Seminary,  founded  by  the  beneficence 
of  the  family  of  Mr.  John  Price  Crozer,  of  Philadelphia,  was 
opened  in  1868,  and  was  from  the  beginning  remarkably  suc- 
cessful. No  small  part  of  its  efficiency  has  been  due  to  the 
character  and  ability  of  Dr.  Henry  G.  Weston,  who  has  from 
the  beginning  served  as  president.  Crozer  has  never  known 
the  poverty  through  which  other  institutions  have  had  to 
pass,  and  has  achieved  in  a  comparatively  short  time  a  place 
of  large  influence. 

Bucknell  University,  long  known  as  the  "University  at 
Lewisburg,"  was  chartered  in  1846.  Beginning  as  an  acad- 
emy, it  soon  took  on  collegiate  features.  For  a  time  it  main- 
tained a  theological  department,  until  the  opening  of  Crozer 
Seminary.  Its  success  is  due  largely  to  the  devotion  of  a  few 
men,  among  whom  Mr.  AVihiam  Bucknell  has  been  the  largest 
benefactor,  and  in  honor  of  whom  the  university  assumed  its 
present  name.  Under  its  successive  presidents,  Howard 
Malcom,   Justin  R.    Loomis,    David  J.    Hill,  and  John   H. 


IN    NORTHERN    AND    MIDDLE    STATES  329 

Harris   (1889),   it  has  steadily  advanced  in  standards  and 
efficiency  and  fully  justified  the  hope  of  its  founders. 

In  the  Middle  States  Baptists  have  now  seven  academies, 
all  placed  in  small  country  towns.  Three  of  these,  Hall 
Institute,  Keystone  Academy,  and  the  Western  Pennsylvania 
Classical  Institute,  are  in  Pennsylvania  ;  two  of  them,  Peddie 
Institute  and  the  South  Jersey  Institute,  are  in  New  Jersey ; 
and  two  more,  Cook  Academy  and  Marion  Collegiate  Insti- 
tute, are  in  New  York. 

A  most  striking  example  of  what  one  man  may  do  in 
education  is  seen  in  the  founding  and  development  of  Vassar 
College,  at  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  This  is  the  noble  monu- 
ment of  Matthew  Vassar,  whose  foresight  and  generosity 
created  the  first  genuine  women's  college  in  America.  A 
Baptist  himself  in  his  affiliations,  he  naturally  called  together 
as  the  first  Board  of  trustees  a  company  of  men  who  were 
largely  Baptists,  and  made  to  them  such  generous  proposi- 
tions that  when  the  college  was  opened  in  1865,  its  property 
amounted  to  nearly  ^750,000.  Three  presidents  have  led 
the  enterprise — John  H.  Raymond,  Samuel  L.  Caldwell,  and 
James  M.  Taylor,  and  Vassar  College  was  never  a  greater 
power  than  to-day.  Steadily  its  standards  have  been  raised, 
its  endowment  has  been  enlarged,  and  the  first  large  building 
supplemented  by  noble  structures  gathering  about  it.  Other 
women's  colleges  have  sprung  into  being,  some  of  them  large 
and  flourishing.  But  the  primacy  of  Vassar  is  far  more  than 
chronological.  Its  ideal  has  been  from  the  beginning  thor- 
oughly Christian  and  frankly  feminine,  and  it  has  exercised 
on  all  succeeding  women's  colleges  a  wholesome  influence. 

This  brief  survey  of  educational  enterprise  in  the  Eastern 
and  Middle  States  shows  how  much  Baptists  owe  to  certain 
individuals  and  famihes  who  have  been  fired  with  ambition  to 
do  something  for  their  denomination  and  their  generation. 
Their  names  and  their  work  will  never  die.  It  also  shows 
how  much  has  been  lost  through  division  of  forces,  duphca- 
tion  of  institutions  in  the  same  region,  and  lack  of  broad, 
general  policy.  No  new  institution  should  be  founded  for  a 
long  time  to  come  in  these  States,  and  a  closer  union  of  ex- 
isting institutions,  binding  academies,  colleges,  and  semi- 
naries in  a  common  educational  pohcy,  is  devoutly  to  be 
wished.  Independent  in  origin,  these  schools  must  be  inter- 
dependent in  their  future  development.  If  such  interdepend- 
ence can  be  attained  and  continued,  our  educational  future 
will  be  secure. 

W.  H.  P.  Faunce. 


330  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL   WORK 

PART  II 
IN  SOUTHERN  STATES 

Our  educational  ideals  and  our  educational  systems  were 
very  largely  affected  by  the  beginnings  of  a  social  democracy 
growing  out  of  the  American  Revolution  of  1776,  At  the 
beginning  of  this  century  culture  and  the  means  of  education 
were  still  largely  aristocratic.  In  the  South,  a  few  such  men 
as  Mr.  Jefferson,  Mr.  Madison,  and  others,  were  highly  edu- 
cated, but  the  great  masses  of  the  people  were  still  ignorant. 
After  our  political  independence  had  been  won,  after  our 
Constitution  had  been  formed  and  adopted,  and  after  a 
peaceful  revolution  had  committed  the  United  States  to  a 
democratic  ideal,  the  leading  spirits  in  the  Southern  States 
directed  their  attention  to  the  estabHshment  of  State  univer- 
sities, which  would  prepare  young  men  for  careers  in  law  and 
politics,  and  which  would  ultimately  lead  to  a  larger  diffusion 
of  intelligence  and  culture  among  the  people. 

"Among  the  wealthy  planters  in  the  South  there  was  to  be 
seen,  along  with  the  simple  modes  of  rural  life,  a  courtliness 
of  bearing,  a  knowledge  of  the  world  and  books,  and  an  easy 
adaptability  to  the  different  kinds  of  society,"  which  has  had 
but  few  parallels  in  the  hfe  of  any  people  ;  but  the  masses  had 
few  educational  advantages.  Culture  was  not  only  limited  to 
a  few  individuals,  but  our  best  educated  men,  many  of  whom 
were  graduates  of  Oxford,  Cambridge,  Harvard,  Yale,  and 
Princeton,  had  bent  themselves  to  the  task  of  constructing  a 
system  of  conduct  and  of  devising  safe  plans  of  reform.  "  The 
South  had  not  come  into  the  possession  of  either  leisure  or 
refinement.  Its  strength  was  rough  and  ready.  It  had  been 
making  history  and  constructing  systems  of  politics  and  in 
such  fields  its  thinking  was  informed  and  practical."  But 
culture  in  the  real  and  true  sense,  and  popular  education  in 
our  own  sense,  was  practically  unknown  at  this  time. 

"Debarred  from  manufactures,  possessed  of  no  shipping 
facihties,  enjoying  no  domestic  market,  Virginian  energies  nec- 
essarily needed  no  other  resources  than  agriculture.  Without 
church,  university,  schools,  or  hterature  in  any  form  that 
required  or  fostered  intellectual  hfe,  the  Virginians  concen- 
trated their  thoughts  almost  exclusively  upon  politics,  and  this 
concentration  produced  a  result  so  distinct  and  lasting,  and 


IN    SOUTHERN    STATES  33  I 


in  character  so  respectable,  that  American  history  would  lose 
no  small  part  of  its  interest  in  losing  the  Virginia  school."  ^ 

"In  some  respects  North  Carolina,  though  modest  in  am- 
bition and  backward  in  thought,  was  still  the  healthiest 
community  south  of  the  Potomac.  Neither  aristocratic  hke 
Virginia  and  South  Carolina,  nor  turbulent  like  Georgia,  nor 
troubled  by  a  sense  of  social  importance,  but  above  all  thor- 
oughly democratic,  North  Carolina  tolerated  more  freedom 
of  political  action,  and  showed  less  family  and  social  influ- 
ence, fewer  vested  rights  in  political  power,  and  less  tyranny 
of  slaveholding  interests  and  terrors,  than  were  common  else- 
where in  the  South.  Neither  cultivated  nor  brilliant  in  intel- 
lect, nor  great  in  thought,  industry,  energy,  or  organization, 
North  Carolina  was  still  interesting  and  respectable,"  and 
was  the  first  State  in  the  South  to  organize  a  State  Univer- 
sity.^ Her  best  qualities  were  typified  in  her  favorite  repre- 
sentative, Nathaniel  Macon,  who  retained  largely  the  same 
relationship  to  the  educational  and  political  problems  of 
North  Carolina  that  Mr.  Jefferson  did  to  Virginia. 

For  South  Carohna  "there  was  a  small  society  of  rice  and 
cotton  planters  at  Charleston,  with  their  cultivated  tastes, 
minds,  and  hospitable  habits,  who  delighted  in  whatever  re- 
minded them  of  European  civiHzation.  They  were  travelers, 
readers,  and  scholars,  and  the  city  of  Charleston  compared 
well  in  refinement  with  any  city  of  its  size  in  the  world, 
and  English  visitors  long  thought  it  the  most  agreeable  in 
America.  The  South  Carolinians  were  ambitious  for  other 
distinctions  than  those  which  could  be  earned  at  the  bar  or 
on  the  plantation.  Charleston  was  more  cosmopolitan  than 
any  part  of  Virginia,  and  enjoyed  also  certain  hterary  reputa- 
tion on  account  of  David  Ramsay,  whose  works  were  widely 
read,  and  of  Governor  Drayton,  whose  '  Letters  written  dur- 
ing a  tour  through  the  Northern  and  Eastern  States,'  and 
his  'View  of  South  Carolina,'  gave  an  idea  of  the  author  as 
well  as  the  country  he  describes.  Charleston  also  possessed 
a  Hbrary  of  three  or  four  thousand  well-selected  books,  and 
maintained  a  well-managed  theatre."  ^ 

In  Georgia,  while  there  were  a  few  highly  educated  men, 
such  as  Abraham  Baldwin,  and  others,  the  masses  were  even 
more  poorly  provided  with  the  means  of  education  and  culture 
than  those  of  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas.  While  politics  had 
not  mastered  the  thought  of  North  Carolina,  South  Carohna, 
and  Georgia  so  completely  as  that  of  Virginia,  the  largest  per- 

1  Henry  Adams,  "  History  of  the  United  States,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  138. 
^Ibid.,  pp.  148,  149.  ^Ibid.,  p.  152. 


332  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

centage  of  the  educated  men  were  lawyers,  politicians,  and 
statesmen.  Law  and  politics  being  the  leading  pursuit  of  the 
educated  classes,  led  first  to  the  estabhshment  of  State  uni- 
versities whose  primary  object  was  to  provide  lawyers  and 
politicians  for  the  South  as  the  New  England  colleges  were 
established  to  furnish  a  trained  ministry. 

The  University  of  North  Carolina  was  founded  in  1795, 
University  of  Georgia  in  1801,  South  CaroHna  College  in 
1805,  and  the  University  of  Virginia  in  1825.  As  history 
repeated  itself  on  Western  lines,  the  State  universities  in  the 
remaining  Southern  States  were  founded  between  183 1  for 
the  University  of  Alabama  and  1883  for  the  University  of 
Texas.  It  may  be  remarked  in  passing  that  nearly  half  of 
the  State  universities  in  America  are  located  in  the  Southern 
States. 

While  the  universities  in  the  South  were  a  step  toward 
democracy,  making  possible  an  enlargement  of  the  educated 
classes,  compared  with  the  New  England  standards  they 
were  until  after  the  Civil  War  essentially  aristocratic.  They 
furnished  an  opportunity  for  the  sons  of  the  wealthy  planters 
to  prepare  themselves  for  careers  in  law  and  politics.  While 
Mr.  Jefferson  in  his  scheme  of  education  looked  for  the 
establishment  of  a  system  of  popular  education  that  would 
furnish  a  democratic  base  for  the  universities,  the  Southern 
States  took  no  decided  steps  for  the  education  of  the  masses 
until  the  overthrow  of  the  slave  aristocracy  by  the  late  Civil 
War.  In  fact,  slavery  constituted  the  last  phase  of  our  social 
life  which  stood  in  the  way  of  the  development  of  a  political, 
economic,  and  social  democracy.  There  is  a  striking  parallel 
between  the  democratic  revolution  which  brought  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son to  the  presidency  in  1800  and  which  has  been  the  con- 
trolhng  force  in  Southern  pohtical  life  since  that  time.  In- 
dividualism and  democracy  applied  to  the  State  have  been 
the  guiding  ideal  of  American  political  life,  especially  that  of 
the  Southern  States.  Individualism  and  democracy  applied 
to  rehgion  have  been  the  fundamental  basis  of  the  Baptist 
denomination. 

Now  the  same  impulse  which  led  to  the  rise  of  Harvard, 
Yale,  and  Princeton,  as  schools  primarily  for  the  education 
of  ministers,  led  to  the  rise  of  denominational  colleges  in 
the  Southern  States  in  the  early  thirties  of  this  century.  As 
there  were  representative  men  in  the  field  of  law  and  politics 
who  stood  behind  the  organization  of  the  State  universities 
in  the  South,  so  there  was  also  a  group  of  well-educated  and 
representative  men  in  the  field  of  religion  who  stood  behind 


IN    SOUTHERN    STATES  333 

the  organization  of  the  denominational  colleges,  and  who 
reached  out  through  a  trained  ministry  to  the  development 
of  the  masses.  For  example,  Richard  Furman  in  South 
Carolina,  Henry  Holcombe  and  Jesse  Mercer  in  Georgia, 
represent  the  same  type  of  leadership  in  religion  as  was  rep- 
resented by  Thomas  Jefferson  in  Virginia,  Nathaniel  Macon 
in  North  Carolina,  and  Abraham  Baldwin  in  Georgia,  in 
poUtics.  Mr.  Jefferson's  idea,  in  common  with  other  politi- 
cal leaders  of  the  day,  was  to  establish  State  universities  that 
would  provide  for  an  educated  office-holding  class.  The 
idea  of  Richard  Furman  in  South  Carohna  and  Jesse  Mercer 
in  Georgia,  in  common  with  other  religious  leaders  of  their 
day,  was  to  provide  for  an  educated  ministry.  The  original 
idea  to  limit  higher  education  to  the  office-holding  and 
ministerial  classes  soon  broadened,  until  now  an  educated 
citizenship  is  contemplated  by  both.  The  State  universities 
have  reached  the  point  in  their  development  where  they 
contemplate  the  ideal  of  hberal  culture,  and  denominational 
colleges,  while  still  retaining  a  moral  and  religious  ideal,  are 
making  an  effort  to  provide  for  as  large  and  as  liberal  a 
culture  as  that  provided  by  the  State  universities.  The 
democratization  of  culture  has  gone  on  until  there  has  grown 
up  a  system  of  common  schools,  high  schools,  and  academies 
which  form  the  connecting  hnk  between  the  people  and  the 
universities  and  colleges,  which  are  the  principal  factors  in 
that  democratization  of  culture  that  is  the  most  significant 
phase  of  our  civiHzation. 

The  "great  revival"  of  1800  that  swept  over  the  South 
and  that  brought  into  the  Baptist  churches  an  untrained 
multitude;  the  return  of  Luther  Rice  in  1813  and  the 
consequent  organization  in  Philadelphia  of  the  "General 
Missionary  Convention  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in  the 
United  States  of  America  for  Foreign  Missions"  ;  the  large 
and  serious  consideration  given  at  the  second  session  of  this 
Convention  in  181 7  to  the  necessity  of  an  educated  ministry 
and  denominational  progress ;  the  consequent  organization 
of  Columbian  College  in  182 1  to  provide  literary  and  theo- 
logical instruction,  to  promote  foreign  missions,  denomina- 
tional unity  and  progress;  the  formation  of  educational 
societies  in  different  parts  of  the  country  to  support  Colum- 
bian College — all  these  different  steps  in  the  direction  of 
progress  and  of  organized  effort  had  a  large  influence  on  the 
Baptists  of  the  Southern  States.  The  trained  and  intelligent 
leaders  of  the  South  were  in  sympathy  with  the  movements 
named.     They  began   to  turn   their  attention  to  organized 


334  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

effort  in  their  own  bounds.  The  union  of  churches  into 
Associations  and  of  Associations  into  State  Conventions  was 
one  of  the  most  important  results,  and  each  step  brought 
with  it  a  larger  unity  and  a  greater  strength. 

Without  exception,  these  State  Conventions  in  the  South, 
as  soon  as  they  were  organized,  took  up,  as  a  question  of 
primary  importance,  the  training  of  the  ministry.  The 
country  was  becoming  more  populous,  and  each  new  center 
of  population  became  a  fruitful  field  for  the  work  of  the 
trained  minister.  Material  development  of  the  country 
brought  a  certain  degree  of  wealth  to  many,  and  much  of 
this  wealth  was  in  the  hands  of  Baptists.  With  the  increase 
of  wealth  there  came  leisure,  and  with  the  increase  of 
denominational  unity  and  strength  there  were  present  the 
necessary  conditions  out  of  which  the  educational  movements 
of  the  time  took  their  rise. 

In  South  Carolina,  it  was  Dr.  Richard  Furman  who  was 
instrumental  in  securing  a  meeting  of  delegates  from  the 
Charleston,  Edgefield,  and  Savannah  River  Associations  at 
Columbia  in  182 1.  The  importance  of  an  educated  ministry 
was  the  chief  interest  of  this  meeting.  The  following  year 
it  Avas  again  discussed.  In  1826  the  Convention  of  South 
Carolina  established  the  Furman  Academy  and  Theological 
Institution.  The  enterprise  was  unsuccessful.  The  theo- 
logical part  was  moved  to  another  point  and  continued  for 
two  or  three  years  and  then  abandoned.  In  1835  another 
effort  was  made  in  the  Fairfield  district,  but  the  school  thus 
established  was  suspended  in  1840.  With  varying  success  in 
subsequent  enterprises,  Furman  University  was  finally  estab- 
lished in  185 1. 

In  Georgia,  a  voluntary  committee,  known  as  the  General 
Committee,  made  up  of  leading  Baptists  who  came  together 
in  an  unofficial  way  for  conference  at  Powelton  in  1801, 
where  Jesse  Mercer  was  pastor,  and  later  by  the  favorable 
action  of  the  Associations,  became,  in  a  measure,  a  repre- 
sentative body  and  held  its  first  session  at  Powelton  in 
1803.  At  the  session  of  this  committee  in  1804,  Christian 
education  was  the  prevaiUng  and  absorbing  theme.  A  circu- 
lar on  the  importance  of  education  was  issued  by  the  com- 
mittee and  addressed  to  the  churches,  and  the  following  year 
a  second  circular  was  issued,  this  time  prepared  by  Jesse 
Mercer.  The  immediate  outcome  of  the  General  Commit- 
tee's interest  in  education  was  Mt.  Enon  Academy,  a  large 
share  of  whose  financial  backing  was  provided  by  Henry 
Holcombe.      After   the    removal   of    Doctor    Holcombe    to 


IN    SOUTHERN    STATES  335 

Philadelphia,  in  1811,  the  academy  soon  failed,  but  the 
influence  of  the  educational  activity  of  the  General  Com- 
mittee was  not  a  failure.  It  prepared  the  way  for  unity  of 
action,  which  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the  State  Con- 
vention in  1822.  It  also  prepared  the  way  for  the  one 
supreme  purpose  of  this  organization,  which,  at  the  first 
session  of  the  Convention  in  1822,  was  the  education  of  the 
ministry.  As  a  result  of  the  influence  thus  put  in  operation, 
Mercer  Institute  at  Penfield  was  founded  in  1832.  This 
institute,  by  an  enlargement  of  its  scope,  became  ultimately 
Mercer  University  in  1837. 

In  North  Carolina,  a  well-defined  purpose  to  foster  denomi- 
national education  led  to  the  formation  of  the  Baptist  State 
Convention.  At  the  session  of  this  Convention  in  1832,  the 
committee  on  education  recommended  "to  purchase  a  suit- 
able farm  and  to  adopt  other  prehminary  measures  for  the 
establishment  of  a  Baptist  seminary  in  this  State  under  the 
manual  labor  principle. ' '  Wake  Forest  Institute  was  opened 
in  1834  as  a  result.  The  original  charter  was  amended,  the 
name  changed  to  Wake  Forest  College,  and  the  present 
institution  began  its  period  of  usefulness  in  1838. 

In  Virginia,  the  proximity  of  Columbian  College,  and  the 
general  relations  which  it  sustained  to  the  denomination, 
postponed  for  some  time  an  organized  effort  for  the  develop- 
ment of  an  institution  of  higher  learning.  But  the  need  of 
such  an  institution  came  to  be  felt  to  such  an  extent  that,  in 
1830,  the  Virginia  Baptist  Education  Society  was  formed.  A 
committee  of  leading  Baptists  from  this  society  was  selected 
and  instructed  to  outUne  and  recommend  a  plan  for  the  edu- 
cation of  the  ministry.  The  committee  suggested  that  stu- 
dents preparing  for  the  ministry,  who  were  to  be  aided  by 
the  society,  should  be  placed  "in  families  whose  libraries 
afforded  an  opportunity  to  give  useful  instruction  and  to 
enable  them  to  render  essential  service  to  their  younger 
brethren. ' '  This  plan  did  not  work  satisfactorily,  met  with 
opposition,  and  ultimately  failed.  The  Virginia  Baptist 
Seminary,  a  manual  labor  school,  was  the  next  effort.  After 
two  years  the  manual  labor  feature  was  abandoned  and  prop- 
erty was  bought  within  the  city  of  Richmond.  On  this  new 
site  Richmond  College  was  founded  in  1840. 

In  Kentucky,  the  Baptists  early  reahzed  the  importance  and 
necessity  of  denominational  education.  A  college  was  organ- 
ized at  Georgetown  in  1829,  but  a  division  of  the  Baptist 
forces  of  the  State  imperiled  its  usefulness  and  almost  its  ex- 
istence.     From  1838  to  1840  the  institution  prospered  and 


336  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

entered  upon  a  permanent  and  successful  history.  The 
charter  for  Georgetown  College,  known  at  the  time  of  its 
foundation  as  the  Georgetown  Literary  and  Theological  In- 
stitution, was  procured  in  1829.  In  the  same  State,  Bethel 
College,  organized  and  founded  by  the  Bethel  Association, 
received  its  charter  in  1840. 

In  Tennessee,  what  is  now  Carson  and  Newman  College  at 
Mossy  Creek,  received  its  charter  in  1850,  and  the  South- 
western Baptist  University,  at  Jackson,  in  1847. 

In  Alabama,  similar  conditions  and  similar  reasons  that  in- 
duced the  Baptists  in  South  Carolina  and  Georgia  to  estab- 
lish denominational  schools,  led  to  an  unsuccessful  attempt 
between  1 830-1 840  to  provide  a  hterary  and  theological 
school.  For  a  number  of  years  the  project  was  abandoned, 
but  in  1 84 1  Howard  College  was  founded  at  Marion,  Ala. 
It  is  now  located  at  East  Lake,  near  Birmingham. 

In  Mississippi,  it  was  again  the  question  of  education  and 
missions  that  brought  the  State  Convention  into  being. 
Hempstead  Academy,  a  State  institution,  chartered  in  1826, 
became  Mississippi  College  in  1830.  In  1842  it  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  Presbyterians.  It  was  surrendered  to  the 
State  after  five  years  and  by  the  State  tendered  to  the  Bap- 
tist Convention  of  Mississippi  in  1852.  It  is  located  at 
CHnton. 

In  Louisiana,  efforts  were  made  by  the  Baptists  to  organize 
a  university,  to  be  known  as  Mt.  Lebanon  University.  The 
discussion  of  this  project  was  begun  in  1847,  but  while  a  cer- 
tain provision  was  made  for  theological  instruction,  and  a 
preparatory  department  was  organized  in  1853,  nothing  was 
done  in  the  way  of  collegiate  instruction  until  1856.  The 
opening  of  the  Avar  found  an  enrollment  of  127  students,  but 
after  the  Civil  War  the  school  was  suspended,  and  finally, 
after  ineffectual  attempts  to  revive  it,  abandoned.  The  Bap- 
tists of  Louisiana  made  another  attempt  to  found  a  university 
at  Shreveport  in  1870,  but  this  was  a  failure. 

In  Missouri,  the  Baptist  General  Association  of  the  State 
began  as  early  as  1839  to  discuss  the  question  of  the  educa- 
tion of  the  ministry.  In  1843  Dr.  WiUiam  Jewell  tendered 
to  the  General  Association  ^10,000  as  a  nucleus  for  the  en- 
dowment of  the  college.  This  led  to  the  founding  of  Wil- 
liam Jewell  College  in  1849. 

In  Arkansas,  the  Baptist  State  Convention  in  1883  began 
the  discussion  of  a  denominational  school,  which  finally  re- 
sulted in  the  founding  of  Ouachita  College  at  Arkadelphia  in 
1886. 


IN    SOUTHERN    STATES  337 

In  Texas,  the  Union  Baptist  Association,  at  its  meeting  in 
1842,  resolved  to  found  a  Baptist  university.  A  charter  was 
obtained  in  1845,  and  the  school  was  first  located  at  Inde- 
pendence. In  1886,  Baylor  University,  at  Independence, 
and  Waco  University,  at  Waco,  were  united  under  the  name 
of  Baylor  University,  at  Waco,  and  placed  under  the  control 
of  the  General  Convention  of  Texas. 

In  Florida,  through  the  benevolence  of  John  B.  Stetson, 
of  Philadelphia,  there  was  founded  for  the  Baptists  of  Florida, 
at  Deland,  the  John  B.  Stetson  University  in  1883. 

The  denominational  colleges  in  the  South  now  under  Bap- 
tist control  are  as  follows  :  Georgetown  College,  Kentucky, 
1829;  twenty-three  instructors;  property  and  endowment, 
$375,000.  Richmond  College,  Virginia,  1832  ;  eighteen  in- 
structors ;  property  and  endowment,  $970,000.  Wake  For- 
est College,  North  Carolina,  1834;  fourteen  instructors; 
property  and  endowment,  $307,000.  Mercer  University, 
Georgia,  1837;  fifteen  instructors;  property  and  endow- 
ment, $400,000.  Howard  College,  Alabama,  1841  ;  seven 
instructors;  property,  $60,300.  Baylor  University,  Texas, 
1845;  twenty-two  instructors;  with  property  and  endow- 
ment amounting  to  about  $250,000.  Southwestern  Baptist 
University,  Tennessee,  1847;  twenty-one  instructors  ;  prop- 
erty, $65,000.  William  Jewell  College,  Missouri,  1849  ; 
twenty-three  instructors  ;  property  and  endowment,  $353,- 
000.  Carson  and  Newman  College,  Tennessee,  185 1  ;  four- 
teen instructors;  property  and  endowment,  $100,000.  Fur- 
man  University,  South  Carohna,  185 1  ;  eleven  instructors; 
property  and  endowment,  $165,000.  Mississippi  College, 
Mississippi,  1852  ;  eight  instructors;  property  and  endow- 
ment, $89,000.  Bethel  College,  Kentucky,  1854;  six  in- 
structors; property  and  endowment,  $250,000.  John  B.  Stet- 
son University,  Florida,  1883  ;  twenty-eight  instructors  ;  prop- 
erty and  endowment,  $500,000.  Ouachita  Baptist  College, 
Arkansas,  1886  ;  twenty-three  instructors  ;  property,  $100,000. 

The  total  value  of  property  and  endowment  in  the  institu- 
tions named  is  nearly  $4,000,000  ;  the  total  number  of  stu- 
dents in  attendance,  3,500;  and  of  these,  400  are  minis- 
terial students.  The  total  number  of  volumes  in  the  hbraries 
is  100,000.  Only  a  small  per  cent,  of  the  institutions 
named  are  co-educational.  The  South  has  been  conservative 
in  the  matter  of  co-education,  and  has  been  slow  to  consider 
or  to  adopt  suggestions  to  open  her  universities  and  colleges 
to  co-education.  The  principle  is  a  general  one  and  applies 
to   State  institutions  as  well  as  to  denominational  colleges. 

w 


338  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

As  a  result  of  this  condition  there  are  at  least  twenty-three 
colleges  for  women  under  Baptist  control  in  the  Southern 
States.  As  a  rule,  there  has  been  Httle  organized  effort 
through  State  Conventions  to  found  and  support  schools  for 
the  education  of  women. 

Without  exception  the  denominational  colleges  founded  as 
a  result  of  organized  effort  had  the  one  well-defined  purpose 
to  train  young  men  for  the  ministry.  Each  institution  had 
therefore  at  first  a  theological  department.  As  the  educa- 
tional interest  in  the  denomination  became  more  general, 
and  as  the  need  of  trained  men  in  other  vocations  came  to 
be  understood,  all  these  denominational  schools  in  a  com- 
paratively short  time  after  they  were  founded  were  opened 
to  all  classes  of  students.  The  number  of  ministerial  students 
while  comparatively  large  was  nevertheless  small  as  compared 
with  the  number  of  students  who  entered  these  schools.  The 
educational  effort  being  in  some  measure  divided  between 
literary  and  theological  instruction,  did  not  provide  a  suffi- 
ciently comprehensive  scholarship  for  either  class  of  students. 
In  consequence  a  number  of  ministerial  students  began  to 
seek  the  Northern  institutions  for  better  facilities. 

One  of  the  first  questions  to  come  before  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention  after  its  organization,  in  1845,  was  the 
advisability  of  founding  a  special  institution  for  the  training 
of  the  ministry.  Furman  University,  South  Carolina,  and 
Mercer  University,  Georgia,  were  presented  in  turn  as  offer- 
ing a  desirable  beginning  for  such  an  institution.  From 
1845-1854  the  matter  was  discussed  in  the  denominational 
papers,  and  at  the  sessions  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion. An  inquiry  was  made  through  a  committee  as  to 
whether  the  theological  departments  at  the  different  denom- 
inational institutions  and  the  funds  in  their  control  might  not 
be  combined  to  found  such  an  institution.  This  hope  foiled. 
Prof  James  P.  Boyce,  of  the  theological  department  of  Fur- 
man  University,  began  to  assume  the  leadership  of  this  im- 
portant movement.  In  1857  he  submitted  to  the  Educational 
Convention  which  preceded  the  meeting  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention  at  Louisville,  Ky. ,  a  proposition  in  behalf 
of  the  State  Convention  of  South  Carohna  to  found  such  an 
institution  in  Greenville,  and  that  the  South  Carohna  Baptists 
would  raise  $100,000  provided  the  Baptists  of  other  States 
would  raise  a  hke  amount.  These  conditions  were  fulfilled 
in  subscriptions,  and  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Sem- 
inary was  opened  in  GreenviUe  in  1859,  the  faculty  being 
made  up  of  James  P.  Boyce,  John  A.  Broadus,  Basil  Manly, 


IN    SOUTHERN    STATES  339 

Jr.,  and  William  Williams.  The  seminary  was  suspended 
during  the  Civil  War,  and  the  endowment  was  lost.  Years 
of  heroic  sacrifice  followed,  and  the  removal  of  the  seminary 
was  felt  to  be  necessary  in  order  to  raise  an  endowment.  It 
was  removed  to  Louisville,  Ky. ,  and  opened  its  first  session 
there  in  1878.  It  prospered  from  the  beginning,  and  is  now 
one  of  the  greatest  seminaries  of  theological  learning  in  the 
world.  Its  influence  on  the  Baptist  ministry  of  the  South  is 
important  and  far-reaching.  The  value  of  its  property  and 
endowment  is  now  ^824,000. 

It  was  said  in  a  preceding  paragraph  that  there  are  at  least 
twenty-three  colleges  for  women  in  the  South  under  Baptist 
control.  The  value  of  property  and  endowment  in  these 
institutions  is  not  less  than  ;^i,  125,000.  In  the  case  of  the 
denominational  colleges  for  men,  it  is  the  exception  if  the 
institution  is  not  endowed  ;  in  the  case  of  the  colleges  for 
women  under  Baptist  control,  it  is  the  exception  if  they  are 
endowed. 

Another  important  educational  fact  in  the  South  is  the  de- 
velopment of  institutions  for  the  education  of  the  colored 
race  since  the  Civil  War.  The  colored  Baptists  of  the  South 
have  at  the  present  time  about  thirty  schools  of  fairly  high 
grade,  with  the  somewhat  special  purpose  to  prepare  their 
students  for  teaching  and  for  the  ministry.  The  first  of 
these  institutions  to  be  organized  was  the  Roger  Williams 
University,  at  Nashville,  in  1864.  The  amount  of  money  in- 
vested in  such  institutions  is  at  least  $1,500,000.  Only  a 
very  small  per  cent,  of  them  have  any  endowment.  The 
larger  proportion  of  them  were  founded  as  a  result  of  North- 
ern beneficence,  and  are  maintained  by  the  American  Bap- 
tist Home  Mission  Society. 

Nearly  6,000  graduates  have  been  sent  out  from  the 
denominational  colleges,  whose  history  has  been  sketched. 
It  is  safe  to  say  that  at  least  18,000  students  have  attended 
these  institutions,  have  come  under  Baptist  influence,  and  have 
gone  out  to  every  corner  of  the  South  as  ministers,  teachers, 
statesmen,  lawyers,  physicians,  farmers,  etc.  These  institu- 
tions have  therefore  made  a  contribution  beyond  estimate  to 
Church  and  State  in  the  South — a  contribution  vital  and  sig- 
nificant, since  Christian  character  and  culture  have  joined 
hands  through  these  graduates  for  the  regeneration  and  re- 
demption of  society. 

Some  of  the  institutions  named  may  not  live,  because  they 
are  not  as  yet  endowed  ;  and  some  may  not  live,  because 
they  are  not   sufficiently    endowed ;  not   any,    indeed,    are 


340  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

endowed  in  proportion  to  the  ability  of  the  great  constituency 
that  should  support  them.  Ample  endowment,  at  least  to 
such  an  extent  as  to  protect  against  fluctuations  in  financial 
conditions  and  in  patronage  is  absolutely  necessary  to  insure 
permanency. 

Again,  the  South  has  the  somewhat  special  problem  of  the 
State  university  and  the  denominational  college  side  by  side. 
The  State  is  not  in  the  field  of  higher  education  to  any  great 
extent  in  the  New  England  and  Middle  States,  and  it  may 
be  added  that  the  denominational  college  has  found  it  diffi- 
cult to  enter  the  field  of  higher  education  in  the  Western 
States.  The  problem  of  the  South,  therefore,  in  the  field  of 
higher  education,  is  a  special  and  peculiar  one.  The  question 
of  taxation  of  the  endowment  funds  of  the  denominational 
colleges,  of  free  tuition  at  State  universities,  and  the  support 
of  these  from  the  public  treasury,  and  other  questions  grow- 
ing out  of  competition,  have  not  yet  in  many  sections  been, 
equitably  adjusted,  and  these  questions  relate  themselves  to 
the  prosperity  and  permanency  of  our  denominational  schools. 

Christian  education  has  been  a  powerful  factor  in  the 
South,  and  has  been  the  inspiration  and  source  of  Baptist 
power  and  usefulness  in  every  great  interest  and  movement 
of  the  denomination,  whether  in  foreign  missions.  State  mis- 
sions, home  missions,  or  in  the  various  forms  of  our  charita- 
ble work.  The  struggles  of  many  of  our  denominational 
schools  in  the  South  have  not  fallen  short  of  the  heroic,  but 
a  better  day  is  dawning.  Our  economic  life  is  settling  down 
on  a  more  permanent  basis.  Our  industries,  once  largely 
agricultural,  with  but  little  ready  cash,  are  becoming  more 
varied,  and  there  is  now  much  wealth  in  the  South.  The 
number  of  Baptists  who  appreciate  and  reahze  the  powerful 
and  constructive  forces  that  go  out  from  these  Christian 
schools  is  steadily  increasing  in  the  South,  and  the  outlook  is 
generally  hopeful ;  but  there  is  much  pioneer  work  still  to  be 
done.     Great  is  the  reward  of  the  faithful  pioneer  ! 

P.   D.  Pollock. 


PART  III 

IN  WESTERN  STATES 

One  of  the  most  prolific  and  attractive  writers  on  education 
in  the  West  says  :  "These  colleges  represent  logic  made  into 


IN    WESTERN    STATES  34 1 

history.  The  logic  of  those  early  settlers  was  '  We  have  come 
to  this  new  territory  to  make  it  Christian  ;  we  cannot  make 
it  Christian  without  a  ministry  ;  we  cannot  have  a  ministry 
without  a  college.'  Therefore  they  founded  the  college,  and 
sacrificed  for  it." 

The  men  who  first  came  to  the  West  w^ere  pioneers  in  both 
education  and  missions.  They  saw  the  vital  relation  of  edu- 
cation to  the  promulgation  of  the  gospel,  and  this  is  Avhy  in 
the  midst  of  great  poverty  they  were  willing  to  make  great 
sacrifices  in  planting  institutions  of  learning. 

The  two  men  who  more  than  any  others  must  be  accorded 
the  honor  of  leading  in  this  work  are  Elders  John  M.  Peck 
and  Jonathan  Goin^- ;  and  they  gathered  much  of  their  en- 
thusiasm from  fellowship  with  Luther  Rice.  It  is  impossible 
to  decide  upon  exact  dates  for  the  beginning  of  various  edu- 
cational enterprises,  but  we  can  say  that  1830  w^as  the  center 
of  a  period  of  college  planting  in  the  West.  We  know  from 
Elder  Peck's  own  journal  that  he  came  to  the  West,  arriving 
in  Shawneetown,  Illinois,  on  October  6,  181 7.  After  some 
years  of  missionary  labor,  and  a  year  spent  in  the  East  visiting 
institutions  of  learning  and  consulting  with  acknowledged 
educators,  he  called  a  meeting  of  brethren  most  likely  to  be 
interested,  and  founded  a  seminary  at  Rock  Spring,  Illinois, 
his  own  home.  Mainly  through  his  own  planning,  energy, 
and  sacrifice,  the  school  was  kept  up,  and  a  large  number  of 
young  men  enjoyed  its  advantages.  But  the  effort  to  provide 
necessary  funds  was  very  great,  and  progress  was  slow.  In 
1 83 1  Dr.  Peck's  long-time  friend  and  brother,  Elder  Jonathan 
Going,  came  to  the  West  and  to  Rock  Spring.  He  soon  found 
himself  in  sympathy  with  those  who  thought  Upper  x\lton  a 
better  prospective  educational  center  than  Rock  Spring.  A 
man  with  less  force  of  character  and  clearness  of  conviction 
could  never  have  persuaded  Elder  Peck  of  the  wisdom  of  the 
change  as  to  location  ;  but  Elder  Going  succeeded  and  the 
change  was  finally  made.  Even  after  that  it  was  not  smooth 
sailing  for  the  school.  It  was  difiicult  to  raise  the  necessary 
funds.  Poverty,  inertia,  and  opposition  were  the  obstacles 
constantly  met,  not  only  at  Upper  Alton,  but  in  all  the  West 
and  everywhere. 

Elder  Peck  disposed  of  part  of  his  property  at  Rock  Spring 
and  followed  his  school  to  upper  Alton,  and  worked  for  it  as 
hard  and  constantly  as  he  had  before  the  removal.  Amid  all 
the  delays  and  discouragements  there  were  real  reasons  for 
cheer  and  courage.  One  such  was  the  gift  of  $10,000  from 
Dr.    Benjamin  Shurtleff,  of  Boston.      In  recognition  of  this 


342  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

liberality  the  name  of  the  institution  was  changed  to  Shurtleff 
College,  the  name  that  it  has  ever  since  borne. 

The  Civil  War  came  on  and  most  of  the  students  went  to 
the  front.  Shurtleff  furnished  at  least  two  major  generals, 
two  brigadier  generals,  three  colonels,  five  majors,  and  seven 
captains,  besides  scores  of  men  in  the  ranks. 

In  1876  a  strenuous  effort  was  made  to  add  $100,000  to 
the  endowment  of  the  college.  The  amount  was  subscribed, 
but  much  of  it  was  never  collected.  The  endowment  fund 
is  now  about  1^130,000,  and  about  300  students  have  been 
graduated  during  its  career,  many  of  whom  are  in  the  min- 
istry and  some  in  the  foreign  mission  field. 

As  Elder  Jonathan  Going  was  on  his  tour  to  the  West  in 
1 83 1  he  stopped  at  Lancaster,  Ohio,  and  attended  the  meet- 
ings of  the  Ohio  Baptist  State  Convention.  He  took  deep 
interest  in  the  plans  proposed  for  founding  a  college  for  the 
Baptists  of  that  State.  It  was  at  first  called  Granville  Lit- 
erary and  Theological  Institute,  and  was  located  on  a  farm 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  village.  In  1845  the  name 
was  changed  to  Granville  College,  and  in  1856  the  school 
was  removed  from  the  farm  to  "  the  hill"  in  the  village  of 
Granville  and  the  name  changed  again,  this  time  to  Denison 
University.  The  last  name  is  in  honor  of  William  S.  Deni- 
son, of  Adamsville,  Ohio,  a  liberal  benefactor. 

For  some  years  the  finances  were  in  a  straitened  condition, 
but  in  recent  years  the  friends  of  the  university  have  rallied  to 
its  support  in  a  most  beautiful  way.  Among  the  larger  con- 
tributors to  its  funds  are  Mr.  W.  H.  Doane,  of  Cincinnati  ; 
the  Threshers  and  Barneys,  of  Dayton  ;  and  the  Rockefellers, 
of  Cleveland.  It  is  the  best  equipped  Baptist  college  in  the 
West,  reporting  assets  amounting  in  the  aggregate  to  nearly 
^1,000,000. 

In  November,  1829,  Thomas  W.  Merrill,  after  graduation 
at  Waterville  College  (now  Colby)  and  Newton  Theological 
Seminary,  made  his  way  into  Michigan  as  a  missionary.  He 
soon  became  a  leader  in  Baptist  educational  work.  He  first 
opened  a  classical  school  in  Ann  Arbor.  Next  he  undertook 
to  found  the  Michigan  and  Huron  Institute  at  Kalamazoo. 
A  charter  was  obtained  in  1833.  In  1837  the  legislature 
authorized  the  change  of  name  to  Kalamazoo  Literary  Insti- 
tute, and  the  citizens  raised  $2,500  for  the  benefit  of  the 
school.  It  became  Kalamazoo  College  by  another  act  of  the 
legislature  in  1855.  One  building  was  erected  in  1847  and 
another  in  1857.  Its  campus  has  115  acres  of  ground,  and 
no  college  in  the  West  has  a  more  beautiful  location.     Its 


IN    WESTERN    STATES  343 

struggles  with  poverty  have  been  as  marked  as  those  of  its 
sister  colleges.  President  Brooks  had  the  longest  terra  of 
service,  and  the  college  prospered  well  under  his  administra- 
tion. President  Slocum,  the  present  incumbent,  has  been 
greatly  encouraged  of  late.  John  D.  Rockefeller's  generous 
offers,  made  through  the  American  Baptist  Education  So- 
ciety, have  been  accepted  and  made  the  basis  of  advance  in 
the  direction  of  buildings  and  endowment.  Kalamazoo  is 
now  in  affiliation  with  the  University  of  Chicago. 

Very  early  in  the  year  1833  the  brethren  who  met  and 
formed  the  Indiana  Baptist  General  Association  were  the 
most  aggressive  men  of  the  State,  and  naturally  became  the 
leaders  in  the  matter  of  higher  education.  In  June,  1834,  a 
meeting  was  called  at  Indianapolis  to  form  an  Education  So- 
ciety. This  Education  Society  soon  projected  the  "  Frankhn 
Manual  Labor  Institute."  Many  of  those  who  came  to  study 
lived  by  manual  labor  indeed.  Some  of  them  built  the  cab- 
ins they  lived  in.  A  cooper  shop  was  built  for  the  sake  of 
such  as  knew  how  to  make  barrels. 

Instruction  was  begun  in  1837  ;  a  college  charter  was  ob- 
tained in  1844.  Many  attempts  were  made  to  raise  an  endow- 
ment but  they  did  not  signally  succeed.  Financial  agents 
could  scarcely  collect  enough  to  meet  current  expenses. 
Franklin,  in  common  with  some  others  of  our  colleges,  sold 
scholarships  at  entirely  too  small  a  price.  In  1861,  when  the 
fall  term  was  as  full  as  usual,  almost  every  student  was  using 
a  scholarship,  and  so  the  income  from  fees  was  cut  off.  One 
of  the  benefits  of  the  suspension  and  dissolution  of  the  organ- 
ization in  1872  was  the  elimination  of  the  scholarship  system. 
In  the  early  part  of  1872  the  Board  was  obhged  to  close  mat- 
ters up  and  transfer  the  property  to  the  creditors.  Much 
was  lost — but  not  all.  Many  young  men  and  women  had 
been  educated,  and  their  love  for  the  institution  had  not  died. 
Before  it  was  time  for  the  fall  term  of  1872  to  begin,  a  new 
organization  had  been  formed,  $50,000  had  been  subscribed, 
and  a  faculty  had  been  elected.  From  that  time  to  this  (1901), 
while  progress  has  not  been  rapid,  it  has  been  constant. 

The  total  assets  are  now  about  $400,000.  Here  also  the 
aid  of  Mr.  J.  D.  Rockefeller,  through  the  American  Baptist 
Education  Society,  has  been  timely.  Franklin  College,  now 
under  the  presidency  of  W.  T.  Stott,  d.  d.,  since  1872,  has 
graduated  over  300  young  men  and  women,  ten  of  whom 
have  done,  or  are  doing,  service  on  the  foreign  mission  field. 
During  the  Civil  War  but  two  young  men  were  left  in  the 
college,  and  they  were  both  lame. 


344  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

McMinnville  College,  Oregon,  obtained  a  charter  in  1852. 
G.  C.  Chandler,  d.  d.,  who  had  been  president  of  Frank- 
lin College  for  eight  years,  was  elected  president.  The  col- 
lege has  done  a  good  work  for  the  Pacific  coast.  The  total 
assets  of  the  college  are  reported  to  be  ^90,000. 

Iowa  has  the  fortune  or  misfortune  to  have  two  Baptist 
colleges — Central  University,  at  Pella,  and  Des  Moines  Col- 
lege, at  the  capital  of  the  State. 

Central  University  was  established  as  a  college  in  1858  and 
Rev.  E,  Gunn  was  elected  president.  When  the  Civil  War 
came  on  many  of  the  students  enlisted.  At  the  close  of 
1862  there  was  not  an  able-bodied  student  of  mihtary  age 
left  in  the  institution.  Twenty-six  of  those  who  enhsted  be- 
came commissioned  officers. 

Ottawa  University,  Kansas,  had  its  origin  in  the  missionary 
work  Baptists  did  for  the  Ottawa  Indians.  It  is  in  a  flourish- 
ing condition,  with  Rev.  J.  D.  S.  Riggs,  ph.  d.  ,  as  president. 
Nearly  500  students  were  enrolled  last  year  in  all  depart- 
ments. 

Nebraska  Baptists  have  a  college  at  Grand  Island,  founded 
in  1892,  and  having  G.  C.  Sutherland,  D,  d. ,  as  president. 

The  college  for  California  Baptists  is  at  Oakland  and  was 
founded  in  1874.  T.  G.  Brownson,  D.  D. ,  who  was  at  Mc- 
Minnville College  for  nine  years,  is  president. 

The  University  of  Chicago  in  its  present  form  was  begun 
in  1892,  but  is  closely  connected  with  the  old  University  of 
Chicago,  which  had  its  beginning  in  1857.  Hon.  Stephen 
A.  Douglas,  whose  wife  was  a  Baptist,  gave  a  tract  of  land  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  city,  valued  at  the  time,  at  $60,000. 
A  large  building  was  erected.  J.  C.  Burroughs,  D.  d.  ,  was 
chosen  president.  The  pressure  of  the  times,  the  city's 
great  fire,  and  other  untoward  circumstances,  made  it  exceed- 
ingly difficult  for  the  university  to  meet  its  current  expenses. 
Before  the  time  for  the  fall  opening  in  1887  the  instructors 
had  gone  and  the  old  University  of  Chicago  was  no  more. 

But,  as  often  occurs,  apparent  failure  was  real  success. 
The  Baptist  Educational  Commission,  organized  through  the 
very  efficient  labor  of  S.  S.  Cutting,  D.  d.,  in  1870,  was  clear- 
ing the  way  for  larger  things.  The  commission  did  not  have 
a  very  long  life,  but  it  led  the  way  to  the  organization  of  the 
American  Baptist  Education  Society  in  1888. 

When  the  old  University  of  Chicago  had  gone  down  and 
the  brethren  were  casting  about  for  something  larger  and 
better  than  the  old,  the  Education  Society  was  at  hand  to 
offer  advice  and  essential  aid. 


IN    WESTERN    STATES  345 

Dr.  W.  R.  Harper,  for  several  years  connected  with  the 
Baptist  Union  Theological  Seminary  (and  others  with  him), 
felt  a  deep  interest  in  the  matter  of  higher  education  for  the 
Northwest,  and  he  had  the  advantage  of  close  relationship 
with  Mr.  John  D.  Rockefeller.  Discussions  in  reference  to 
a  college  or  university  in  Chicago,  culminated  in  the  forming 
of  a  committee  of  thirty-six,  and  the  new  institution  was 
launched  with  a  beginning  of  $1,000,000,  of  which  Mr. 
Rockefeller  gave  ^600,000. 

A  charter  was  speedily  secured  and  the  new  university  of 
Chicago  began  its  career,  with  Dr.  W.  R.  Harper  as  presi- 
dent. Its  expansion  has  been  a  wonderful  one,  and  in  its 
great  faculty,  its  superb  equipment,  and  its  unrivaled  accumu- 
lation of  means,  aggregating  (1901)  $10,000,000,  it  stands 
bearing  testimony  to  the  wise  and  large  hberahty  of  Mr.  John 
D.  Rockefeller  and  the  remarkable  organizing  power  of  Presi- 
dent W.  R.  Harper. 

This  brief  glance  at  the  history  of  Baptist  education  in  the 
West,  emphasizes  in  our  minds  the  greatness  of  the  struggles 
that  were  made  to  found  these  schools,  and  the  firmness  of 
the  faith  that  bade  the  workers  hold  on  to  their  purpose  ;  and 
one  might  be  led  to  suppose  that  while  such  men  as  President 
Read,  of  Shurtleff;  President  Talbot,  of  Denison  ;  President 
Brooks,  of  Kalamazoo  ;  and  President  Bailey,  of  FrankHn, 
were  strenuously  working  to  keep  their  colleges  afloat,  the 
standard  of  scholarship  in  the  institutions  would  not  be  of  a 
very  high  order.  It  was  otherwise.  The  young  men  who 
came  out  from  those  halls  came  rapidly  to  the  front  as  capa- 
ble leaders  in  the  churches  and  in  civil  Hfe. 

While  Presidents  Moss  and  Anderson  were  walking  the 
streets  of  Chicago  to  ask  contributions  for  current  expenses, 
their  pupils  were  taking  the  first  places  in  the  State  and  inter- 
State  contests  in  oratory.  The  students  of  those  days  are  the 
educational  leaders  of  these  days. 

The  subject  of  co-education  in  our  institutions  has  been 
earnestly  discussed  in  the  last  fifty  years ;  and  as  a  result 
young  women  are  admitted  to  all,  or  almost  all,  our  colleges 
in  the  West.  Courses  of  study  have  been  constantly  ad- 
vanced as  the  facihties  warranted.  The  public  schools  of  the 
country  have  helped  to  push  the  colleges  forward.  In  the 
best  high  schools  the  curriculum  covers  the  work  that  once 
belonged  to  the  Freshman  and  Sophomore  years  of  the  col- 
lege. The  support  of  universities  by  the  State  has  brought 
some  new  problems  to  the  denominational  colleges.  Com- 
petition for  patronage  has  become  so  strong  that  no  institu- 


346  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

tion  can  count  on  its  natural  patronage  unless  it  works  for  it. 
A  result  is  that  our  colleges  are  providing  the  best  facilities 
possible  and  the  best  instruction  possible.  In  this  purpose  of 
making  "our  own  the  best"  the  aid  extended  by  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Education  Society  is  most  opportune  and  most 
welcome. 

We  know  that  higher  education  obtained  in  a  distinctly 
Christian  atmosphere  is  worth  more  to  our  youth  than  words 
can  express  ;  but  that  is  no  reason  why  our  schools  should 
not  be  models  in  respect  to  all  appliances. 

This  sketch  would  not  be  complete  without  reference  to 
the  efforts  of  Baptists  of  the  West  to  provide  distinctly  theo- 
logical instruction.  Theological  departments  were  connected 
with  many  of  the  colleges,  as  Shurtleff,  Denison,  and  Kala- 
mazoo. Many  of  our  ablest  scholars  have  done  work  in  these 
departments.  In  some  instances  theological  chairs  were  en- 
dowed. At  least  in  Shurtleff  it  seems  to  be  obligatory  to 
provide  instruction  in  theology,  to  comply  with  the  charter 
of  the  college. 

By  slow  stages,  however,  the  conviction  grew  that,  as 
other  learned  professions  had  separate  schools,  so  ought  the 
ministry  to  have.  Newton  Theological  Institution  was  in 
operation  as  a  separate  school  for  the  ministry  in  the  year 
1825,  but  the  earliest  attempt  in  the  West  was  that  to  estab- 
lish the  Western  Baptist  Theological  Institute  in  Covington, 
Ky. ,  in  1840.  It  was  hoped  to  equip  and  endow  the  semi- 
nary by  a  real  estate  transaction.  The  plan  seemed  for  a 
while  to  promise  success.  A  building  was  erected,  and  an 
able  faculty,  with  E.  G.  Robinson,  d.  d.  ,  as  president,  was 
elected. 

But  the  slavery  agitation  was  growing  more  and  more 
intense,  and  it  became  clear  that  a  theological  seminary 
dependent  for  patronage  and  support  on  both  the  North 
and  the  South  was  an  impossibility.  Accordingly,  after  some 
litigation  the  assets  were  equally  divided.  The  portion  be- 
longing to  the  South  Avas  given  to  form  a  theological  depart- 
ment in  Georgetown  College,  Kentucky.  The  Northern 
portion  was  expended  in  founding  Fairmount  Theological 
Seminary,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  but  the  hbrary  came  into  the 
possession  of  Granville  College.  Fairmount  did  not  succeed 
and  soon  passed  out  of  notice. 

A  more  successful  attempt  to  provide  for  theological  in- 
struction in  the  West  originated  in  a  meeting  held  in  the 
First  Baptist  Church,  Chicago,  in  i860.  The  object  of  the 
meeting  was  to  discuss  the  need  and  possibility  of  a  theo- 


IN  THE  DOMINION  OF  CANADA  347 

logical  institution  for  the  Northwest.  Another  meeting  was 
called  in  1861,  but  the  movement  did  not  take  final  shape 
until  1S63,  when  the  Baptist  Theological  Union  for  the 
Northwest  was  formed.  The  existence  of  the  Civil  War 
prevented  rapid  development  of  plans. 

In  May,  1867,  the  Baptist  National  Anniversaries  were 
held  in  Chicago,  and  the  occasion  afforded  an  opportunity  to 
emphasize  the  need  of  the  seminary.  G.  W.  Northrup,  d.  d.  , 
then  in  the  chair  of  church  history  in  the  Rochester  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  was  elected  president,  a  full  faculty  was 
chosen,  and  instruction  began  in  October,  1867.  The  in- 
stitution has  had  constant  and  increasing  success.  A  Scan- 
dinavian department  was  added,  a  library  building  was 
erected,  and  the  endowment  was  increased. 

In  1892,  when  the  new  University  of  Chicago  was  fully 
outlined,  part  of  the  plan  included  the  removal  of  the  Baptist 
Union  Theological  Seminary  to  the  university  grounds  and 
making  it  the  divinity  school  of  the  university.  It  has 
prospered  in  its  new  relation  and  prospers  still,  with  Eri  B. 
Hulbert,  D.  D.,  as  dean. 

Upon  the  whole,  Baptist  education  is  progressing  in  the 
West,  and  the  future  promises  much  more  rapid  development 
than  has  characterized  the  past. 

W.  T.  Stott. 


PART   IV 

IN  THE   DOMINION   OF   CANADA 

In  1 80 1  the  numbers  and  possessions  of  the  Baptists  of 
British  North  America  were  not  sufficient  to  warrant  an  edu- 
cational undertaking.  Nor  did  their  convictions  lead  in  that 
direction.  Education  in  general  they  did  not  value,  and  the 
importance  of  an  educated  ministry  they  had  not  yet  learned. 
One  hundred  years  later  the  Baptists  of  Canada  were  distin- 
guished for  their  zeal  and  success  in  the  promotion  of  higher 
education.  Educational  institutions  of  a  permanent  charac- 
ter were  opened  to  students  in  the  Maritime  Provinces  in 
1829,  in  Ontario  in  i860,  and  in  Manitoba  in  1899. 

THE    MARITIME    PROVINCES. 

During  the  first  quarter  of  the  century  the  Baptists  of  the 
Maritime  Provinces  were  hostile  to  the  education  of  ministers. 


348  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

Their  acquaintance  with  certain  ministers  of  other  denomina- 
tions led  them  to  associate  arrogance  and  worldHness  with 
college -bred  preachers,  while  the  pastors  to  whom  they 
listened  with  reverence  and  dehght  were  uneducated.  Early 
in  the  second  quarter  of  the  century  a  movement  began 
which  destroyed  this  prejudice,  and  lifted  the  Baptists  from 
obscurity  to  conspicuous  prominence. 

On  June  23,  1828,  a  meeting  was  held  in  Wolfville,  Nova 
Scotia,  at  which  was  formed  the  Nova  Scotia  Baptist  Educa- 
tion Society.  The  purpose  of  this  society  was  two-fold,  to 
establish  a  "suitable  seminary  of  learning"  and  to  give 
financial  aid  to  students  for  the  ministry.  The  word  "suit- 
able ' '  was  doubly  significant :  it  looked  toward  literary 
efficiency  and  a  non-exclusive  educational  policy.  Pictou 
Academy,  founded  by  Presbyterians  in  1816,  was  at  this 
time  inethcient,  and  Kings  College,  Windsor,  established  in 
1788  and  liberally  aided  by  the  imperial  and  provincial 
governments,  was  open  only  to  those  who  would  subscribe  to 
the  Thirty-nine  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England.  Concern- 
ing the  Horton  Collegiate  Academy,  the  school  which  was 
established  in  pursuance  of  the  resolution  adopted  by  the 
meeting  in  Wolfville  in  1828,  the  following  record,  covering 
the  years  in  which  it  was  the  only  Baptist  school  in  British 
North  America,  has  been  made  :  "  During  this  period  (1829- 
1839)  Horton  Academy  educated  a  large  number  of  young 
men  of  all  creeds  and  representing  all  parts  of  the  province, 
and  grew  to  be  recognized  as  a  classical  school  of  a  high 
grade. ' ' 

Asahel  Chipman,  of  Amherst  College,  Massachusetts,  v/as 
the  first  principal  of  Horton  Academy,  serving  one  year. 
He  was  succeeded  in  1830  by  Rev.  John  Pryor,  who  held 
the  principalship  until  the  founding  of  Acadia  College,  nine 
years  later.  Mr.  Pryor  was  a  graduate  of  Kings  College, 
and  was  one  of  a  group  of  Anglicans  who  two  or  three  years 
before  had  become  Baptists.  J.  W,  Johnston,  afterward 
attorney-general  of  Nova  Scotia  and  a  stalwart  helper  of  the 
educational  work,  and  E.  A.  Crawley,  the  first  educational 
leader  and  the  founder  of  Acadia  College,  were  other  mem- 
bers of  this  group. 

Ten  years  after  the  opening  of  Horton  Academy  the  first 
lectures  were  given  in  connection  with  Acadia  College. 
There  were  two  professors  and  twenty  matriculated  students. 
The  professors  were  Rev.  John  Pryor,  m.  a.,  who  since  1830 
had  been  principal  of  the  academy,  and  Rev.  E.  A.  Crawley, 
M.  A.      Two  influences  led  to  the  enlargement  of  the  work  in 


IN  THE  DOMINION  OF  CANADA  349 

Wolfville,  the  desire  of  the  students  of  the  academy  for 
higher  education  and  the  determination  of  the  Baptists  to 
secure  by  means  of  an  independent  school  the  rights  and 
privileges  which  were  denied  them  at  the  provincial  college 
at  Halifax.  In  September,  1838,  Mr.  Crawley's  application 
for  a  professorship  at  Dalhousie  College  was  rejected  because 
he  was  a  Baptist,  the  governing  Board  having  determined 
that  none  save  members  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  should 
be  appointed  to  professorships  in  the  provincial  college !  In 
November  the  Baptists  met  in  Wolfville  and  resolved  to 
establish  a  college  forthwith,  and  in  January,  1839,  the 
college  was  opened. 

The  early  years  of  Acadia  College  were  marked  by  struggle 
and  discouragement.  Deficits  multiplied.  The  first  applica- 
tion for  a  charter  failed,  and  though  a  charter  was  granted  in 
1840,  it  was  not  until  185 1  that  the  charter  was  made  per- 
petual. There  were  no  college  buildings  for  some  years.  In 
1842  Professors  Crawley  and  Chipman  began  a  canvass  for 
contributions  for  a  building.  Money  was  accepted  if  offered, 
but  they  asked  for  materials.  The  people,  though  poor,  gave 
liberally,  and  the  building  was  begun  in  1843,  but  was  not 
finished  until  1854  ;  it  was  burned  in  1877.  Participation  in 
this  enterprise  of  "building  a  college  without  money"  ap- 
pealed to  the  imagination  of  the  people  of  all  classes,  and 
from  the  hour  of  the  laying  of  the  foundations  of  the  "old 
college  building"  their  hearts  were  knit  to  the  school. 

In  1850  Acadia  College  was  on  the  brink  of  disaster.  Great 
difficulties  had  been  encountered,  the  most  dangerous  of 
these  being  dissension.  In  1831  the  Baptists  sought,  and 
received,  from  the  province  for  their  educational  work  a  grant 
of  ^2^500.  This  was  followed  by  an  annual  grant  of  ;^3oo. 
The  acceptance  of  State  aid  led  to  controversies  which  at 
length  became  bitter.  State  aid  ceased  in  1850,  but  was  re- 
newed in  1865  and  continued  until  about  1880. 

John  Mockett  Cramp,  d.  d.  ,  who  had  been  relieved  of  the 
principalship  of  the  Canada  Baptist  College  by  the  collapse 
of  the  latter  in  1849,  ^^as  in  this  year  called  to  the  presidency 
of  Acadia  College.  His  acceptance  of  the  call  indicated  that 
he  was  heroic.  This  was  abundantly  manifested  during  the 
nineteen  years  of  his  presidency.  Wise  in  administration, 
tactful  in  his  relation  to  the  churches,  an  able  teacher,  of 
wide  experience  and  varied  learning,  and  withal  generous  in 
gifts  of  his  own  means,  he  won  the  title  of  the  "second 
founder"  of  the  college. 

Doctor  Cramp  was  succeeded  in  1869  by  Artemas  Wyman 


350  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

Sawyer,  D.  D. ,  an  American  by  birth,  who  had  served  as  a 
member  of  the  teaching  staff  some  years  before.  Doctor 
Sawyer  proved  himseh  to  be  a  teacher  of  remarkable  abihty, 
a  wise  administrator,  and  a  far-sighted  leader.  In  the  twenty- 
seven  years  of  his  presidency  the  faculty  increased  from  four 
to  ten,  and  the  students  from  forty  to  three  times  that  num- 
ber, while  the  endowment  more 'than  doubled.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded in  1896  by  Thomas  Trotter,  d.  d.,  who  undertook  at 
once,  successfully,  to  raise  $75,000  to  pay  accumulated  de- 
ficits, to  increase  the  buildings,  and  to  add  to  the  endowment. 

At  different  times  attempts  were  made  to  give  theological 
instruction.  The  chief  of  these  dated  from  1874  and  covered 
nine  years,  during  which  period  D.  M.  Welton,  d.  d.,  was 
professor  in  that  department.  In  1883  Doctor  Welton  be- 
came a  professor  in  the  Toronto  Baptist  College  and  theologi- 
cal teaching  was  discontinued  at  Wolfville.  A  few  years  be- 
fore the  close  of  the  century  $100,000  was  left  to  Acadia  by 
Godfrey  Payzant  for  the  revival  of  theological  teaching. 

Besides  Horton  Academy  and  Acadia  College  the  Baptists 
have  at  Wolfville  Acadia  Ladies'  Seminary,  a  school  of  excel- 
lent reputation. 

Although  Wolfville  was  the  center  of  the  Baptist  educational 
work  of  the  Maritime  Provinces,  there  were  two  attempts  in 
New  Brunswick  which  deserve  notice.  Because  New  Bruns- 
wick had  no  public  school  system,  and  on  account  of  the 
Anglican  narrowness  of  the  University  of  New  Brunswick,  the 
Baptists  of  Fredericton  felt  that  there  was  an  opening  for  a 
school  under  their  direction.  Charles  Spurden,  d.  d.  ,  was 
the  first  principal.  In  1873  conditions  had  changed,  and  the 
principal  at  that  time,  Calvin  Goodspeed,  D.  D. ,  thought  it 
not  wise  to  continue  the  school  longer.  In  1881  or  1882, 
under  the  leadership  of  J.  E.  Hopper,  D.  d.  ,  a  seminary  was 
opened  in  St.  John.  This  was  moved  to  St.  Martin's  in 
1888,  where  a  costly  building  had  been  erected.  It  was 
called  the  Union  Baptist  Seminary,  the  Free  Will  Baptists 
having  joined  with  the  Regular  Baptists  in  the  enterprise  in 
1884.  From  the  first  there  were  great  difficulties.  Many 
New  Brunswick  Baptists  thought  the  undertaking  premature. 
Heavy  debts  were  incurred  and  principals  were  changed  fre- 
quently.    The  end  came  in  1896. 

ONTARIO    AND    QUEBEC. 

The  Baptists  of  the  upper  provinces  were  ten  years  behind 
their  brethren  by  the  sea  in  starting  educational  work,  and 
thirty-two  years  behind  them  in  establishing  a  school  on  a 


IN    THE    DOMINION    OF    CANADA  35  I 

permanent  foundation.  The  earlier  date,  1838,  marks  the 
opening  of  the  Canada  Baptist  College  in  Montreal,  which 
came  to  an  end  in  1849,  and  the  later  date,  i860,  the  open- 
ing of  the  Canadian  Literary  Institute  in  Woodstock,  Ontario. 

The  Canada  Baptist  College  owed  its  birth  chiefly  to  Rev. 
John  Gilmour,  a  Scottish  Baptist,  who  on  coming  to  Canada, 
discovered  that  a  school  was  greatly  needed.  He  secured 
financial  support  in  Great  Britain.  The  school  was  well 
taught,  but  spent  its  twelve  years  of  life  in  a  storm,  owing  to 
the  hostility  of  the  Baptists  of  the  West  to  the  English  Bap- 
tist ideas  that  were  dominant  in  the  school.  This  college  did 
a  noble  service  in  educating  certain  pioneer  preachers  and  in 
emphasizing  the  need  of  Baptist  educational  work. 

While  the  Canada  Baptist  College  was  still  alive,  though 
near  dissolution,  the  Baptists  of  Canada  West,  now  Ontario, 
were  planning  to  estabhsh  a  school.  The  Montreal  College 
was  intended  for  theological  students  only,  and  the  Baptists 
of  the  West,  in  their  several  early  attempts,  made  plans  of 
a  similar  character.  After  the  failure  of  several  attempts  to 
found  a  theological  school.  Rev.  Robert  Alexander  Fyfe,  a 
native  of  Quebec  Province,  who  had  been  educated  partly  in 
Canada  and  partly  in  the  United  States,  came  forward  with  a 
proposal  to  establish  a  school  in  which  young  men  and  women, 
whatever  the  vocation  to  which  they  looked  forward,  could  be 
taught  under  Christian  influences.  This  idea  won  its  way. 
Woodstock  was  chosen  as  the  site  of  the  new  school.  A 
building  was  erected  by  means  of  the  ofl"erings  of  the  people. 
Dr.  Fyfe  was  persuaded  to  accept  the  principalship,  and  in 
July,  i860,  the  Canadian  Literary  Institute  was  opened  with 
forty  pupils.  In  January,  1861,  the  building  was  destroyed 
by  fire,  but  undaunted  by  this  calamity,  Doctor  Fyfe  organ- 
ized his  forces  for  an  advance.  Sympathy  and  subscriptions 
were  given  freely.  Among  those  who  helped  generously  was 
William  McMaster,  of  Toronto,  who  subscribed  ^4,000  to  the 
fund  for  rebuilding.  From  this  date  William  McMaster,  later 
a  senator  of  Canada,  had  a  new  interest  in  the  educational 
work  of  the  denomination,  an  interest  which  led  him  to  es- 
tablish the  Toronto  Baptist  College  in  1881  and  in  1887  to 
bequeath  for  the  founding  of  McMaster  University  nearly 
^1,000,000. 

The  early  history  of  the  Canadian  Literary  Institute  is  one 
of  great  struggle  and  large  influence.  For  eighteen  years,  or 
until  the  time  of  his  death,  Doctor  Fyfe  lived  out  his  great 
life  in  this  school.  On  the  literary  side  the  institute  was  of 
academy  grade,  at  one  time  attempting  to  carry  students  as 


352  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL    WORK 

far  as  the  end  of  the  second  year  of  an  arts  course.  Theo- 
logical teaching  was  given  to  students  for  the  Baptist  ministry. 

In  1 88 1  the  theological  department  was  removed  to  To- 
ronto, Senator  McMaster  having  erected  there  McMaster 
Hall  and  announced  his  wilhngness  to  contribute  the  greater 
part  of  the  salary  fund.  The  Toronto  Baptist  College  was 
opened  in  October,  1881,  with  John  Harvard  Castle,  d.  d.  , 
as  principal  and  twenty  students  in  attendance. 

A  charter  for  an  institution  having  full  university  powers 
was  secured  from  the  provincial  government  in  1887.  On 
the  nineteenth  of  the  September  following  Senator  McMaster 
died,  leaving  about  $900,000  for  an  endowment.  Not  many 
months  later  his  widow  offered  to  the  governors  of  McMaster 
University  her  Toronto  residence  for  a  ladies'  school.  This 
offer  was  accepted,  co-education  was  discontinued  at  Wood- 
stock, and  Moulton  Ladies'  College  was  opened  in  1888. 
The  Arts  College  was  opened  in  1890.  There  were  sixteen 
studentsinartsand  twenty-five  in  theology  in  1890-1891.  In 
1 899-1 900  there  were  145  in  arts  and  forty-eight  in  theology. 
The  chancellors  of  the  university  have  been  Malcolm  Mac- 
Vicar,  PH.  D.,  LL.  D. ,  1 88 7-1 890  ;  Theodore  Harding  Rand, 
M.  A.,  D.  c.  L. ,  1892-1895,  and  (Dates  C.  S.  Wallace,  D.  D. , 
LL.  D. ,  since  1895.  In  the  interval  between  the  retirement 
of  Chancellor  Mac  Vicar  and  the  appointment  of  Chancellor 
Rand,  the  faculties  of  arts  and  theology  were  organized 
under  the  chairmanship  of  Doctor  Rand  and  Dr.  Calvin 
Goodspeed  respectively.  On  the  appointment  of  Doctor 
Rand  as  chancellor  the  two  faculties  were  united  and  the 
chancellor  was  made  principal  ex  officio.  At  the  close  of  the 
century  the  faculties  of  the  several  departments  of  McMaster 
University  numbered  as  follows  :  The  university  proper ;  the 
chancellor  and  seventeen  others ;  Woodstock  College,  Prin- 
cipal A.  L.  McCrimmon,  m.  a.  ,  and  six  others ;  and  Moulton 
College  (not  including  the  departments  of  music  and  art). 
Principal  Adelaide  L.  Dicklow,  m.  ph.,  and  six  others.  At 
Woodstock  there  were  buildings  sufficient  to  accommodate 
about  200  in  residence,  all  the  buildings  being  of  brick. 
Moulton  College  will  accommodate  about  sixty  girls  in  resi- 
dence. McMaster  Hall,  a  fine  stone  building,  besides  chapel, 
classrooms,  and  laboratories,  has  dormitory  accommodation 
for  seventy-five  students. 

In  the  closing  year  of  the  century  subscriptions  were  se- 
cured for  the  purchase  of  land  for  an  athletic  field  for  the 
university  and  the  erection  of  a  building  for  chapel  and 
library.      The  corner-stone  of  the  new  building  was  laid  De- 


IN    THE    DOMINION    OF    CANADA  353 

cember  20,  1900.      The  cost  of  the  land  and  buildings  will 
be  about  ^40,000. 

Within  the  bounds  of  the  Convention  of  Ontario  and 
Quebec  another  educational  work  has  been  conducted  with 
large  success,  but  since  it  belongs  in  strictness  to  a  missionary 
rather  than  an  educational  undertaking,  it  does  not  call  for 
extended  notice  in  this  sketch.  In  1836  Madame  Feller 
began  to  teach  a  few  French  Canadians  at  Grande  Ligne. 
This  school  now  has  125  pupils,  ten  teachers,  an  endowment 
of  $30,000,  and  school  property  valued  at  $35,000.  An 
enlargement  of  the  building  will  be  made  early  in  the  pres- 
ent century  at  a  cost  of  about  $35,000.  The  present  able 
principal  is  Rev.  G.  N.  Masse,  m.  a. 

MANITOBA    AND   THE    WEST. 

A  college  was  opened  in  Brandon,  Manitoba,  in  the  au- 
tumn of  1899,  with  Archibald  P.  McDiarmid,  d.  d.,  as  prin- 
cipal, and  in  July,  1900,  the  corner-stone  of  a  fine  college 
building  was  laid.  The  beginning  of  this  work  was  made 
possible  by  the  generous  help  of  Baptists  in  other  parts  of 
Canada,  especially  Ontario.  Mr.  S.  J.  McKee  had  conducted 
a  private  academy  some  years  in  Brandon.  The  good  will  of 
this  passed  over  to  the  Baptists,  Mr.  McKee,  himself  a  Bap- 
tist, being  retained  as  one  of  the  teachers.  The  college  is 
modeled  after  the  Canadian  Literary  Institute.  This  college 
has  begun  work  with  every  promise  of  permanency. 

This  is  the  second  educational  attempt  made  in  Manitoba, 
In  1880  John  Crawford,  d.  d.  ,  opened  Prairie  College,  at 
Rapid  City.  The  school  for  five  years  had  an  average  attend- 
ance of  twenty  pupils.  On  the  spiritual  side  blessings  were 
large.  In  1885  Doctor  Crawford,  who  had  impoverished 
himself  for  the  sake  of  the  school,  was  compelled  to  abandon 
the  enterprise,  financial  support  from  brethren  in  the  East 
not  being  sufficiently  large  to  make  it  possible  to  continue. 

Three  or  four  years  before  the  close  of  the  century  the 
Baptists  of  British  Columbia  began  to  plan  for  the  founding 
of  a  university  in  that  province.  A.  J.  Pineo,  m.  a.,  is  at 
the  head  of  this  educational  movement. 

summary. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  century  the  Baptists  (church-mem- 
bers) numbered  about  600  and  had  no  schools.  At  the  close 
of  the  century  they  numbered  about  100,000  and  had  the 
following  schools  : 

Acadia  University,  including  Horton  Collegiate  Academy 


354  AMERICAN    BAPTIST    EDUCATIONAL   WORK 

and  Acadia  Ladies'  Seminary,  with  an  attendance  of  320  ; 
Feller  Institute,  with  an  attendance  of  125  ;  McMaster  Uni- 
versity, including  Woodstock  College  and  Moulton  Ladies' 
College,  with  an  attendance  of  550,  and  Brandon  College, 
with  an  attendance  of  no.  All  of  these  schools  are  distinct- 
ively Christian  in  name  and  in  fact. 

O.  C.  S.  Wallace. 


XXIV 


BAPTIST  CONTRIBUTIONS  TO  LITERATURE 
DURING  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURA 


Accepting  Dr.  William  R.  Williams'  interpretation  of  lit- 
erature as  "  that  which  comprises  all  the  intellectual  products 
of  a  nation,  from  the  encyclopedia  to  the  newspaper,  the 
epic  poem  and  Sunday-school  hymn,  the  sermon  and  epi- 
gram, the  essay  and  sonnet,  the  oration  and  street  ballad," 
we  may  consider  the  more  recent  hterary  achievements  of  the 
Baptists  under  two  heads  :  Rehgious  and  Secular.  Each 
of  these  divisions  demands  special  attention  and  separate 
investigation. 

I.     RELIGIOUS. 

In  the  realm  of  Bible  translation  and  exegesis  Baptists  have 
been  notably  conspicuous  and  successful.  It  is  a  significant 
fact  that  years  before  the  publication  of  Luther's  Bible  two 
Anabaptists,  Denck  and  Haetzer,  in  1526,  did  some  noble 
work  in  this  direction.  Prior  to  1834,  Dr.  William  Carey,  of 
whom  the  distinguished  Wilberforce,  in  the  British  House  of 
Commons,  said,  "  His  proficiency  in  Sanscrit  is  acknowledged 
to  be  greater  than  that  of  Sir  William  Jones  or  any  other 
European,"  translated  the  Bible  into  more  than  a  score  of 
dialects  and  languages.  The  work  of  Doctor  Judson's  Bible 
translation  for  the  Burmese,  of  Doctor  Marshman's  for  the 
Chinese,  of  Dr.  Nathan  Brown's  for  the  Japanese,  of  Doctor 
Mason's  for  the  Karens,  of  Cushing's  translation  of  the  Bible 
into  the  Shan  language,  and  of  Dr.  H.  F.  Buckner's  self- 
denying  toil  in  translating  the  Gospel  of  John  into  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Creek  Indians,  are  each  a  grand  monument  of 
consecrated  industry  and  ability  which  the  Christian  world 
may  well  acknowledge,  and  for  which  every  Baptist  heart 
should  be  devoutly  grateful  to  God.  Besides  this,  we  have 
Bowen's  "Vocabulary  and  Grammar  of  the  Yoruban  Lan- 
guage," proof  of  the  excellence  of  which  is  found  in  the  fact 
that  it  is  a  pubhcation  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution. 

1  The  basis  of  this  chapter  is  my  paper  on  "  Baptists  and  Literature,"  found  in  a  vol- 
ume entitled,  "  Gladstone  and  other  Addresses,"  and  published  in  1898. 

355 


356  BAPTIST    CONTRIBUTIONS    TO    LITERATURE 

In  addition  we  have  John  Gill's  "Commentary"  ;  Robert 
and  James  A.  Haldane's  "Expositions,"  respectively  of  Ro- 
mans and  Galatians;  Ripley's  "Notes  on  the  Gospels,  Acts, 
Romans,  and  Hebrews";  Spurgeon's  "Treasury  of  David"; 
Mitchell's  "Revised  Davies'  Hebrew  Lexicon";  William 
Jones'  "Dictionary  of  Sacred  Writings";  Green's  "Hand- 
book to  the  Grammar  of  the  New  Testament ' ' ;  Hutchinson's 
"Syriac  Grammar  and  Chrestomathy";  Clifford's  "  Old  Tes- 
tament Characters  " ;  Pattison's  "Ephesians"  and  Hinton's 
"Daniel";  Keach's  "Parables"  and  Clark's  "Commenta- 
ries"; Sherwood's  "  New  Testament,  Explanatory  and  Practi- 
cal"; Johnson's  ' '  Quotations  of  the  New  Testament  from  the 
Old";  Kendrick's  "Olshausen's  Commentary  on  the  New 
Testament";  Stevens'  and  Burton's  "  Exegetical  Studies"; 
Whitney's  "Revisers  of  the  Greek  Text";  Conant's  "  Ge- 
senius'  Hebrew  Grammar ' '  and  ' '  New  Translation  of  the  Book 
of  Job";  King's  "Our  Gospels"  and  Henderson's  "Devel- 
opment of  Doctrine";  Hackett's  "  Original  Text  of  Acts," 
"  Chaldee  Grammar,"  and  edition  of  Smith's  Dictionary; 
the  "American  Commentary,"  by  Baptist  scholars  like  Hovey, 
Hackett,  Broadus,  and  Clarke;  Malcom's  "Bible  Diction- 
ary," with  its  immense  circulation  of  nearly  200,000  copies  ; 
and  lastly,  of  the  valuable  service  rendered  from  time  to  time 
by  our  scholars  in  the  revision  of  the  word  of  God.  Surely 
Baptists  have  accomplished,  in  the  matter  of  expounding  and 
translating  the  Bible  and  giving  it  in  intelligent  form  to  the 
nations,  a  work  unique  and  magnificent. 

In  sermonic  literature  Baptists  have  not  been  so  prominent 
as  in  the  exposition  and  translation  of  the  Scriptures  ;  still  the 
place  they  hold  here  is  quite  creditable.  The  one  name, 
Charles  Haddon  Spurgeon,  confers  upon  our  denomination 
a  grand  distinction.  It  may  be  with  a  feeling  of  commenda- 
ble pride  that  a  single  body  of  the  great  Christian  fraternity 
is  able  to  class  among  the  defenders  of  its  principles  Milton, 
the  poet,  Bunyan,  the  allegorist,  and  Spurgeon,  the  preacher 
— three  names  than  which  no  other  names  in  English  annals 
hold  higher  position  in  their  respective  spheres.  So  popular 
have  been  Mr.  Spurgeon's  sermons  that  many  of  them  have 
been  translated  into  German,  Welsh,  Swedish,  French,  Dan- 
ish, Italian,  and  other  European  tongues. 

But  Spurgeon  stands  not  alone  in  the  history  of  the  Bap- 
tist pulpit,  a  great  preacher  of  righteousness.  Before  him 
and  along  by  his  side  there  have  been,  and  to-day  are,  men 
of  our  pulpit  pre-eminent  for  piety,  intellectual  power,  and 
oratorical  talent  of  the  highest  order — men  whose  spoken  and 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  357 

published  thought  has  done  no  Uttle  in  influencing  and  mold- 
ing the  thought  and  literature  of  our  day. 

Noble  successors  of  such  men  as  Christmas  Evans,  the 
brightest  ornament  of  the  Welsh  pulpit  ;  and  Robert  Hall, 
who  as  Dugald  Stewart  says,  combined  in  his  writings  the 
beauty  of  Johnson,  Addison,  and  Burke,  without  their  im- 
perfections ;  and  the  noted  Stillman,  whose  sermons  on  the 
Stamp  Act  (1776)  and  before  Congress  and  on  the  French 
Revolution  (1794)  made  him  so  conspicuous  a  personage,  are 
men  like  Brantly  and  Parkinson,  Richard  Fuller  and  Leland, 
Elton  and  Staughton,  Wayland  and  Stow,  Manly  and  Fur- 
man  of  more  recent  days,  with  McLaren  and  Clifford,  Robin- 
son and  Armitage,  Winkler  and  Burrows,  Henson  and  Board- 
man,  Lorimer  and  MacArthur,  and  others  of  our  own  time. 

And  in  this  connection  should  be  mentioned  Armitage' s 
"Preaching:  Its  Inner  and  Ideal  Life"  ;  Pattison's  "The 
Making  of  the  Sermon  ";  Robinson's  "Lectures  on  Preach- 
ing ' ' ;  and  Broadus'  ' '  Preparation  and  Delivery  of  Sermons. ' ' 

Among  theological  and  religious  Avorks  by  Baptists,  follow- 
ing such  a  work  as  GiU's  "Body  of  Divinity,"  etc.,  we  may 
mention  with  pride  Marshman's  "  Deity  and  Atonement  of 
Christ"  ;  Brown's  "Encyclopaedia  of  Religious  Knowledge"  ; 
Andrew  Fuller's  extensive  works  ;  Dagg's  "  Moral  Science  " 
and  "  Manual  of  Theology "  ;  Pendleton's  "Christian  Doc- 
trine" ;  Brine's  "  Vindication  of  Natural  Religion  "  ;  Parkin- 
son's "  Ministry  of  the  Word  "  ;  Howell's  "Way  of  Salva- 
tion" ;  Boyce's  " Systematic  Theology "  ;  Wilham's  "Lord's 
Prayer  and  Religious  Progress"  ;  Strong's  "Philosophy  of 
Religion  ' '  and  ' '  Christ  in  Creation  and  Ethical  Monism  ' '  ; 
Magoon's  "Republican  Christianity"  ;  Winkler's  "Spirit  of 
Missions"  ;  Hovey's  "Systematic  Theology  and  Christian 
Ethics  "  ;  Smith's  "Canon  of  Scripture  and  Its  Inspiration  "  ; 
Northrup's  "Sovereignty  of  God"  ;  Angus'  "Handbook 
of  the  Bible"  ;  Lorimer's  "Argument  for  Christianity 
and  "  Christianity  in  the  Nineteenth  Century  "  ;  Boardman's 
"  Creative  Week  "  and  "  Mountain  Instruction  "  ;  Johnson's 
"  Outhnes  of  Systematic  Theology"  ;  Stevens'  "Harmony 
of  the  Gospels  "  ;  Reach's  "  Gospel  Mysteries  Unveiled  "  ; 
the  six  volumes  of  Archibald  McLean's  works;  Merrill's 
"Parchments  of  the  Faith";  Robinson's  "Ethics  and 
Theology"  ;  Wayland' s  "  Essays  on  Questions  Educational, 
Philosophical,  and  Religious";  Robins'  "The  Christian 
Idea  of  Education"  ;  Spurgeon's  "Devotional  Writings"  ; 
Pattison's  "History  of  the  English  Bible";  Belcher's  "  Re- 
ligious Denominations  ' ' ;  and  TurnbuU'  s  '  *  Christ  in  History. ' ' 


358  BAPTIST    CONTRIBUTIONS    TO    LITERATURE 

It  may  be  well  just  here  to  specify  a  few  of  the  more 
polemical  treatises  that  have  come  from  the  pens  of  Baptists, 
for  much  of  their  literature  has,  of  necessity,  been  of  a  dog- 
matic and  denominational  character  :  "Philosophy  of  Athe- 
ism," by  B.  Wood  win  ;  "  Anti-Pedobaptism,"  by  John 
Tombes  ;  Jeter's  "Campbelhsm  Examined";  "Baptism  in 
its  Mode  and  Subjects,"  by  Alexander  Carson;  WiUiams' 
"Apostolic  Church  Polity";  Cathcart's  "Baptism  of  the 
Ages";  Cote's  "Baptism  and  Baptisteries";  "The  Posi- 
tion of  Baptism  in  the  Christian  System,"  by  H.  H.  Tucker; 
Broadus'  "Church  Disciphne";  Reynolds'  "Church  Or- 
der" ;  Wayland's  "Principles  and  Practices  of  Baptist 
Churches  "  ;  Curtis'  "Communion  "  ;  Hague's  "  Eight  Views 
of  Baptism "  ;  Gotch's  "Baptism";  Hosken's  "Infant 
Baptism"  ;  Jones'  "Spirit,  Policy,  and  Influence  of  Bap- 
tists" ;  Howell's  "  Evils  of  Infant  Baptism"  ;  Anderson's 
"Vindication  of  Baptism"  ;  Jones'  "  Plea  for  Baptist  Prin- 
ciples"; Bates'  "Defense  of  Baptism";  Conant's  "Mean- 
ing and  Use  of  Baptizein  Philologically  and  Historically  Con- 
sidered," which  is  without  question  the  most  scholarly  and 
convincing  production  on  the  subject  extant;  and  Newman's 
"Anti-Pedobaptism,"  named  last,  but  far  from  least. 

But  it  has  not  been  alone  in  defense  of  our  distinctive 
views  that  Baptists  have  used  their  pens  with  vigor  and  learn- 
ing, but  also  in  behalf  of  the  great  fundamental  principles  on 
which  the  whole  fabric  of  evangelical  Christianity  stands. 
With  simple  mention  we  point  to  Holcombe's  "  Anti-Mission 
Principles  Exposed"  ;  Cathcart's  "  Papal  System  "  ;  Curry's 
"  Estabhshment  and  Disestablishment  "  ;  Andrews'  "Moral 
Tendency  of  Universahsm  "  ;  Parker's  "Harmony  of  the 
Ages";  Waffle's  "Sabbath";  Faunce's  "Prayer"  and 
"  Inspiration  as  a  Trend  "  ;  and  Dowling's  "History  of  Ro- 
manism." From  the  above  it  wiU  be  observed  that  the 
hterature  of  Baptists  has  been  predominantly  a  religious 
literature.  Our  most  eminent  scholars  have  been  among 
our  most  consecrated  men. 

And  from  the  peculiarities  of  our  faith  it  need  hardly  be 
said  that  our  religious  literature  is  eminently  bibhcal.  The 
Scriptures  are  not  only  our  rule  of  faith,  but  the  only  allowed 
source  of  authoritative  teaching.  We  rejoice  that  it  is  in 
behalf  of  literature  of  this  pure  and  exalted  kind  that  Baptists 
have  produced  their  most  noted  and  far-reaching  works. 
Only  the  light  and  ages  of  eternity  can  reveal  the  cheer  and 
consolation  borne  to  weary,  burdened  spirits  through  such 
Baptist  works  as  Spurgeon's   "Morning  by  Morning"   and 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  359 

"Evening  by  Evening";  Fuller's  "Power  of  the  Cross"  ; 
Fish's  "Primitive  Piety"  ;  Carson's  "Knowledge  of  Je- 
sus"; Hoyt's  "Gleams  from  Paul's  Prisons";  Gordon's 
"Ministry  of  the  Spirit ' ' ;  MacArthur' s  ' '  Attractive  Christ ' ' ; 
and  Montague's  "  Heaven,"  each  with  message  so  tender. 

Of  the  many  biographies  or  biographical  sketches  by  Bap- 
tists which  might  here  be  enumerated,  the  following  are  the 
most  important  and  best  known:     "Memoir  of  Adoniram 
Judson,"  by  Francis  Wayland  ;   "Life  of  Luther  Rice,"  by 
J.  B.  Taylor  ;   "  Life  of  Richard  Fuller,"  by  J.  H.  Cuthbert ; 
"Life  of  Adoniram  Judson,"  by  Edward  Judson;  Fuller's 
"Memoir  of  Andrew  Fuller"  ;   "  Life  and  Correspondence 
of  John  Foster,"  by  J.  E.  Ryland  ;  Belcher's  "  Baptist  Mar- 
tyrs" ;   "Eras  and  Characters  of  History,"  by  W.  R.  Wil- 
hams  ;  hves  of  Carey,  Marshman,  and  Ward,  by  J.  C.  Marsh- 
man  ;   "Memoir  of   Christmas  Evans,"   by  D.  W.  Phillips; 
"Life  of  Martin  Luther,"  by  B.  Sears;  Hill's  "Washington 
Irving  and  William  Cullen  Bryant  "  ;  "  Life  of  John  Bunyan," 
by  Ira  Chase;  Wyeth's   "Judsons"  (Mrs.    Ann  H.,  Sarah 
B.,  and  Emily  C),  and  his  "Galaxy  in  the  Burman  Sky"  ; 
"Life  of  Mrs.  Emily  C.  Judson,"   by  A.  C.  Kendrick  ;  Ivi- 
mey's   "Life  of  Milton";   Pattison's   "Making  of  William 
Carey"  ;  Knowles'  "Life  of  Roger  Williams  "  ;   "Life  and 
Times  of  James  Manning,"  by  Reuben  A.  Guild  ;   "  Life  and 
Times  of  Backus,"   by  A.  Hovey  ;  Kendrick' s   "Biography 
of  Martin  B.   Anderson"  ;   "Life  of  James  P.   Boyce,"  by 
John  A.   Broadus;   "Life  of  J.    B.   Jeter,"   by  William   E. 
Hatcher;    "Life  of  George   Dana  Boardman,"   by  Alonzo 
King;   Gregory's   "Life  of  Robert  Hall"  ;  and  "Life  and 
Letters  of  John  A.  Broadus,"   by  A.  T.  Robertson.      These 
biographies,  though  largely  denominational,  are  full  of  infor- 
mation and  of  thrilling  interest  to  the  whole  Christian  world, 
furnishing  as  they  do  teUing  accounts  of  the  hfe  and  deeds  of 
noble  servants  of  God,  some  of  whom  gave  up  home  and 
coiiifort  and  even  hfe  itself  for  the  glory  of  our  common  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

The  contribution  of  Baptists  to  history  and  historical  re- 
search has  neither  been  so  extensive  nor  so  satisfactory  as  we 
might  desire.  We  need  the  talent  of  some  strong  intellect 
to  be  devoted  for  years  to  thorough  research  in  the  libraries 
of  our  land  and  of  the  old  countries,  determining  what  Bap- 
tists have  been  and  done,  and  thus  become  prepared  to  fur- 
nish the  world  with  a  scholarly,  unbiased  standard  work  on 
Baptist  history.  This  I  believe  to  be  a  great  desideratum  of 
the  Baptist  denomination  at  this  period  of  its  hfe. 


360  BAPTIST    CONTRIBUTIONS    TO    LITERATURE 

But  Baptist  pens  have  not  been  idle  in  this  work  of  con- 
tributing to  history.  All  along  the  track  of  our  progress 
are  noble  monuments  of  historical  investigation  :  Robinson's 
"  Historical  Researches  "  ;  Vedder's  "  Dawn  of  Christianity  " 
and  "Short  History  of  the  Baptists"  ;  Chowles'  edition  of 
Neal's  "History  of  the  Puritans"  and  Foster's  "Statesmen 
of  the  Commonwealth"  ;  Newman's  "History  of  the  Bap- 
tist Churches  in  the  United  States"  ;  Banvard's  "Plymouth 
and  the  Pilgrims"  ;  Burrage's  "Anabaptists  of  Switzerland  "  ; 
Hinton's  "  History  of  the  United  States"  ;  Mrs.  Conant's 
"New  England  Theocracy";  Smith's  "Modern  Church 
History"  ;  Ross'  "Civil  and  Religious  History  of  Rhode 
Island"  ;  Anderson's  "  Annals  of  the  English  Bijjle  "  ;  Tup- 
per's  "Decade  of  Foreign  Missions"  ;  Moss'  "Annals  of 
the  Christian  Commission";  and  Newman's  "Manual  of 
Church  History,"  the  second  volume  of  which  is  now  in 
press  ;  not  to  speak  specifically  of  the  works  of  Keach  and 
Orchard,  of  Backus  and  Semple,  of  Cutting  and  Crosby,  of 
Cathcart  and  Curtis.  In  these  valuable  labors  of  love  there 
is  furnished  to  the  world  a  wealth  of  material  which  thus  far  has 
been  too  little  recognized.  Nor  can  we  forget  that  it  was 
Robert  Haldane,  a  Baptist,  who  was  instrumental  in  the 
awakening  and  conversion  of  D'Aubigne,  and  who  therefore 
was  indirectly  connected  with  the  production  of  the  noblest 
history  of  the  sixteenth  century  Reformation. 

Did  time  permit  we  should  like  to  dwell  at  length  and 
separately  upon  the  poems,  religious  and  other,  of  such  Bap- 
tist authors  as  Fawcett,  Steele,  Beddome,  Wallen,  Medley, 
Fellows,  Turner,  Swain,  Stennett,  Rippon,  Mote,  Turney, 
Washburn,  Knowles,  Furman,  S.  F.  Smith,  Thurber,  Brown, 
Phelps,  Curtis,  Gilmore,  Lowry,  Richards,  Dyer,  Doane, 
Robinson,  Wilkinson,  and  others,  poets  who  have  given  the 
world  no  fewer  than  a  thousand  productions  in  verse,  some 
of  them  of  great  poetical  value,  all  of  them  breathing  the 
lofty  spirit  of  Christian  consecration  and  faith. 

It  is  no  small  source  of  gratification  to  us  that  some  of  the 
most  popular  and  soul-stirring  of  church  hymns  are  the  com- 
position of  Baptists.     As  illustrative  of  this,  recall  these  : 

"Come,  Holy  Spirit,  come,"  by  Benjamin  Beddome; 
"  Jesus,  thou  art  the  sinner's  friend,"  by  Richard  Burnham  ; 
"Oh,  could  I  find  from  day  to  day,"  by  Benjamin  Cleav- 
land  ;  "Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus,"  by  W.  H.  Doane  ;  "Ye 
Christian  Heroes,  go  proclaim,"  by  B.  H.  Draper;  "Blest 
be  the  tie  that  binds,"  by  John  Fawcett ;  "He  leadeth  me, 
oh,  blessed  thought,"  by  J.  H.   Gilmore;   "Come,  humble 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  36 1 

sinner,  in  whose  breast,"  by  Edmund  Jones;  "How  firm  a 
foundation,"  by  George  Keith  ;  "  My  hope  is  built  on  noth- 
ing less,"  by  Edward  Mote  ;  "Come,  thou  Fount  of  every 
blessing,"  by  Robert  Robinson  ;  "  My  country,  'tis  of  thee," 
by  S.  F.  Smith;  "The  Saviour,  oh,  what  endless  charms," 
by  Anne  Steele. 

Besides  all  these,  Ballondi,  of  Venice,  a  Baptist  evangelist, 
has  given  to  the  world  a  collection  of  sacred  songs  which  has 
already  a  wide  circulation  and  promises  to  receive  recognition 
as  a  work  of  great  merit. 

It  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  to  Baptists  the  world  is  indebted 
for  the  most  popular  national  hymn  of  our  language,  "My 
country,  '  tis  of  thee  "  ;  for  the  two  most  popular  hymns  per- 
haps of  the  church,  if  we  except  "Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul," 
and  "Rock  of  Ages,"  viz,  "Come,  thou  Fount  of  every 
blessing  "  and  "  Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds."  The  influence 
of  these  hymns  will  never  be  known  in  this  world.  They 
have  charmed  more  griefs  to  rest  than  all  the  philosophy  of 
earth.  In  eternity  alone  we  shall  witness  the  extent  of  their 
beneficent  power. 

II.    SECULAR. 

Among  the  names  of  American  essayists  that  of  William 
Matthews  author  of  "Orators  and  Oratory,"  "Use  and 
Abuse  of  Words,"  and  of  several  other  interesting  books, 
ranks  most  creditably.  Dr.  William  R.  Williams,  of  New 
York,  was  one  of  the  most  chaste  and  charming  writers  of 
our  age.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  he  gave  to  the  pubhc  no 
more  works  of  the  order  of  his  ' '  Miscellanies, "  "  Conserva- 
tive Principle  in  our  Literature,"  and  "  Eras  and  Character 
of  History."  No  mean  rank  may  be  assigned  to  Angus' 
"Handbook  of  English  Literature";  Gregory's  "Hand- 
book of  History  "  ;  Ash's  "  Grammar  and  Dictionary  of  the 
English  Language  ' ' ;  Shute'  s  ' '  Manual  of  the  Anglo-Saxon ' ' ; 
Lechman's  "Logic";  Gilmore's  "Art  of  Expression"; 
Kendrick's  "Our  Poetical  Favorites";  Hill's  "Elements 
of  Rhetoric  and  Genetic  Philosophy";  Morey's  "Roman 
Law";  and  "Hinton's  "History  of  the  United  States." 
One  is  surprised,  also,  at  both  the  literary  industry  and  literary 
finish  of  Rufus  W.  Griswold,  who  "gave  to  the  world  from 
time  to  time,  without  his  name,  partly  or  entirely  written  by 
himself,  six  or  eight  works  on  history  and  biography,  a  novel, 
seven  discourses  on  historical  and  philosophical  subjects,  and 
contributions  to  magazines  and  newspapers  sufficient  to  fill  a 
dozen    octavo    volumes."      His    "Curiosities    of    American 


362  BAPTIST    CONTRIBUTIONS    TO    LITERATURE 

Literature"  and  "The  Poets  and  Poetry  of  America,"  are 
of  a  high  Hterary  order.  Besides  these  there  are  some  rather 
widely  read  works  of  fiction  by  Baptist  authors  :  Banvard's 
"  Priscilla "  ;  Dayton's  "  Theodosia  Ernest";  Ford's 
"Grace  Truman";  Chaplin's  "Convent  and  Manse"; 
Eddy's  "  Saxenhurst "  ;  and  the  attractive  works  of  Mrs. 
E.  C.  Judson,  as  "  Fanny  Forrester,"  some  of  whose  writings 
have  had  a  gratifying  circulation. 

As  in  literary,  so  also  in  linguistic  studies  and  writings  not 
bearing  on  the  Scriptures,  Baptists  have  reached  and  main- 
tained no  ordinary  position.  Carey's  Mahratta,  Sanskrit, 
Punjabi,  and  Tellinga  grammars,  together  with  his  four  foreign 
dictionaries;  Judson's  "Burmese  Dictionary";  Wade's 
"Karen  Dictionary"  ;  Buckner's  "Grammar  of  the  Creek 
Indians  "  ;  Gill's  "  Hebrew  Language  " — these  are  all  works 
the  worth  and  influence  of  which  are  universally  recognized, 
"  the  precious  life-blood  of  master  spirits  embalmed  and 
treasured  up  to  a  life  beyond  life."  Li  addition  to  these 
we  have  Hackett's  translation  of  Winer's  "  Chaldee  Gram- 
mar" and  "  Plutarch  on  the  Delay  of  Deity  " ;  Sears'  "Cice- 
ronian" ;  Kendrick's  "Study  of  the  Greek  Language"  and 
his  edition  of  the  "Anabasis"  ;  Richardson's  "Orthoepy"  ; 
Staughton's  "Virgil"  and  "Greek  Grammar";  Boise's 
seven  volumes  of  Greek  text-books  ;  Harkness'  eight  volumes 
of  Latin  and  Greek  text-books;  Harper's  "Linguistic 
Studies"  ;  Lincoln's  edition  of  Livy  and  Horace;  Knapp's 
"Spanish  Grammar  and  Chrestomathy  "  ;  Robinson's  trans- 
lation of  Neander's  "Planting  and  Training"  ;  Champlin's 
edition  of  Demosthenes  and  ^schines,  each  evincing  a  high 
order  of  scholarship.  "  It  may  be  said  with  justice  that  lead- 
ing Baptist  scholars  have  been  second  to  none  in  thorough- 
ness and  breadth  of  learning,  and  that  the  standard  by  which 
attainment  in  all  departments  of  knowledge  is  tested  has  been 
set  and  kept  at  a  high  point. ' ' 

How  far  this  judgment  quoted  is  just  in  the  direction  of 
scientific  productions  may  be  seen  in  part  in  the  splendid 
contributions  of  Daniel  H.  Barnes,  some  of  which  were  made 
use  of  by  Humboldt ;  Loomis'  writings  on  anatomy,  physi- 
ology, geology,  and  philosophy;  MacGowan's  "Chinese 
Horology";  Coles'  "  Treatise  on  Physiology  "  ;  Comstock's 
"  Notes  on  Arakan,"  a  contribution  to  the  "Journal  of  the 
American  Oriental  Society";  Clarke's  "Differential  and 
Integral  Calculus "  ;  Davis'  "Deductive  Logic";  Sanford's 
series  of  arithmetics  ;  Olney's  series  of  mathematical  text- 
books ;  the  ornithological  collections  of  J.   H.  Linsley  ;  the 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  363 

works  of  Dr.  A.  A.  Gould  on  natural  history  ;  Willet's  '  Won- 
ders of  Insect  Life  "  ;  and  the  contributions  of  Rufus  Griswold 
to  American  bibliography. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  during  the  last  two  years  Baptists 
have  appeared  quite  prominent  in  the  sphere  of  Hterature. 
Unquestionably  one  of  the  fine  books  of  the  last  decade  is 
"The  Great  Poets  and  Their  Theology,"  by  President  A. 
H.  Strong,  of  Rochester  Theological  Seminary.  "Justice  to 
the  Jew,"  by  Dr.  Madison  C.  Peters,  has  had  a  deservedly 
wide  sale.  Lillian  Bell's  "A  Little  Sister  to  the  Wilderness  " 
is  full  of  fine  description  and  keen  characterization.  "The 
Lady  of  the  Flag  Flowers,"  by  Miss  Florence  Wilkinson,  and 
"A  Wind  Flower,"  by  Mrs.  Caroline  A.  Mason,  are  charm- 
ing stories,  as  is  also  Tomlinson's  "Prisoner  in  Buff,"  while 
"To  Have  and  to  Hold,"  by  Miss  Mary  Johnson,  may  be 
said  to  rank  with  the  very  best  works  of  its  kind. 

In  view  of  such  an  array  of  learned  and  widely  circulated 
works,  who  will  not  admit  that  Baptist  literature  has  rendered 
noble  service  to  the  best  interests  of  man,  "  to  the  defense, 
the  exposition,  and  the  propagation  of  Christianity  ;  to  the 
advancement  of  science,  of  education,  of  culture  in  its  most 
liberal  extent  •  to  the  arts  that  support  and  adorn  hfe,  and 
to  the  advocacy  of  enlightened  charities.  It  includes  books 
without  which  the  scholar  would  find  his  resources  impaired, 
and  such  also  as  address  the  common  mind  and  have  moved 
men  in  masses.  The  amount  of  activity  and  the  worth  of 
achievement  are  alike  fairly  equal  to  the  measure  of  a  reason- 
able expectation."  That  in  the  literature  of  the  English 
tongue  God  has  given  to  our  fathers  and  brethren  so  exalted 
and  noble  a  place  should  call  forth  from  the  whole  Baptist 
brotherhood  thanksgiving  profound  and  constant.  In  hu- 
mility and  joyousness  of  soul  we  record  our  gratitude  at  this 
hour  for  this  one  token  of  divine  favor,  both  in  this  and  in 
preceding  centuries,  gratitude  for  men  like  Judson  and  Carey 
and  Marshman,  Brown  and  Mason  and  Buckner,  with  all 
their  consecrated  and  successful  labor  in  Bible  translation  ; 
for  the  biblical  lore  of  Gill  and  Ripley,  Clarke  and  Haldane, 
Weston  and  Broadus ;  for  the  linguistic  attainments  of 
Hackett  and  Conant,  Green,  Lincoln,  and  Kendrick ;  for 
the  clear  and  massive  theological  teaching  of  Fuller  and 
Hovey,  Johnson  and  Strong  ;  for  the  preaching  power  of 
Spurgeon  and  Evans,  Robinson  and  McLaren,  Hall  and 
Fuller  ;  for  the  scholarly  productions  of  Foster  and  Matthews 
and  Williams,  and  the  learned  disquisitions  of  Wayland  and 
Dagg  ;  for  the  historical  researches  of  Keach  and  Orchard 


364  BAPTIST    CONTRIBUTIONS    TO    LITERATURE 

and  Benedict  and  Robinson  ;  for  the  poetical  genius  of  Mil- 
ton and  Fawcett  and  S.  F.  Smith  ;  for  the  scientific  treatises 
of  Loomis  and  Olney,  Barnes  and  Clarke  ;  for  the  strong 
defense  of  Baptist  principles  and  practices  from  the  pens  of 
such  men  as  Carson  and  Gill  and  Mell  and  Cathcart ;  and 
along  with  this,  the  exposure  of  ecclesiastical  and  theological 
error  by  such  lovers  of  truth  as  Godwin  and  Dowling,  Hol- 
combe  and  Andrews  ;  and  last,  for  the  sweet,  elevating,  and 
ennobUng  writings  of  Bunyan  and  Spurgeon,  and  the  innu- 
merable host  of  others  who,  though  of  our  communion,  have 
sent  out  their  works  among  all  the  nations  to  the  glory  of 
God,  the  comfort  of  the  saints,  and  the  upUft  of  the  race. 

Kerr  Boyce  Tupper. 


XXV 


THE  BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH 
CENTURY 


PART  I 
BRITISH 


In  a  paper  as  brief  as  this  must  be,  only  the  most  con- 
spicuous names  of  the  British  Baptist  pulpit  can  be  mentioned. 
For  the  sake  of  convenience  chiefly,  the  leading  ones  may  be 
arranged  into  three  groups  :  the  Initial  Group,  the  Mid- 
Century  Group,  and  the  Group  of  the  Closing  Decades. 

I.    THE    INITIAL    GROUP. 

To  the  Initial  Group,  Wales  and  Scotland  as  well  as  Eng- 
land contribute  names  which  demand  a  place. 

At  the  opening  of  the  century  Wales  was  aflame  with  the 
testimony  and  fame  of  Christmas  Evans.  Born  in  1766,  of 
poor  parent^,  unable  to  read  at  fifteen,  he  was  converted  at 
eighteen,  and  forthwith  was  quickened  in  mind  as  well  as  in 
heart.  Through  his  study  of  the  New  Testament,  he  became 
a  Baptist,  and  united  with  the  Baptist  church  at  Aberduar. 
Before  long  he  evinced  remarkable  preaching  powers.  His 
overmastering  gift  of  a  flaming  imagination,  coupled  with  in- 
tense evangelical  fervor,  made  his  preaching,  in  its  effect 
upon  the  warm-natured  Welsh,  as  fire  to  tow.  "The  one- 
eyed  man  of  Anglesey,"  they  said,  "is  a  prophet  sent  from 
God."  His  famous  sermon  on  the  demoniac  of  Gadara, 
preached  at  a  meeting  of  the  Association,  held  the  people 
spell-bound  for  three  hours.  The  effect  reported  would  be 
incredible  but  for  the  ample  testimony  which  is  on  record. 
Most  of  his  pastoral  work  was  done  on  the  island  of  Angle- 
sey, where  under  his  ministry  the  preaching  stations  increased 
from  eight  to  scores,  and  where  the  ministers  increased  from 
one  to  twenty-eight.  He  preached  at  Associational  gather- 
ings 163  times,  and  made  forty  evangelistic  tours  through 
South  Wales.      He  took  a  foremost  place  in  the  Welsh  min- 

365 


366      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

istry,  gave  an  immense  impetus  to  the  evangelic  revival  of  the 
times,  and  could  rejoice  in  thousands  who  owned  themselves 
his  children  in  the  Lord.      He  fell  asleep  in  1838. 

The  Scotsmen  whose  names  demand  record  are  the  Hal- 
dane  brothers.  No  more  inspiring  biography  exists  in  Bap- 
tist hterature  than  that  of  Robert  and  James  Alexander 
Haldane,  written  by  Alexander  Haldane,  the  son  of  the 
former.  Sons  of  parents  of  rank  and  fortune,  belonging  to 
the  EstabUshed  Church  of  Scotland,  Robert  was  born  in 
1764,  James  in  1768.  Both  studied  at  Edinburgh  University, 
both  entered  the  navy,  saw  actual  service,  and  established 
reputations  for  superior  intelligence  and  indomitable  cour- 
age. Both  abandoned  the  sea  in  their  twenties,  and  in  1795, 
by  gradual  processes  of  thought  and  reflection,  both  were 
brought  to  a  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  to  the  acceptance  of 
deeply  evangelical  views  of  Christian  truth.  In  the  face  of 
moderatism  which  had  blighted  the  religious  hfe  of  Scotland, 
these  influential  and  gifted  young  men  consecrated  their 
wealth,  their  talents,  their  lives  to  the  cause  of  evangelical  truth. 

Robert,  though  never  becoming  an  ordained  minister, 
preached  much,  and  became  noted  as  a  writer  and  Christian 
philanthropist,  giving  ^350,000  for  charitable  and  evangelistic 
purposes  within  fifteen  years,  and  during  his  Hfe  educating 
300  ministers  of  the  gospel  at  an  expense  of  $100,000.  His 
visit  to  Geneva  in  181 6  was  one  of  the  notable  incidents  of 
his  useful  life.  It  was  there  he  lectured  to  the  students  on 
the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  having  among  his  delighted  lis- 
teners D'Aubigne,  Malan,  Gaussen,  and  others,  and  deeply 
influencing  religious  thought  and  life  at  that  important  center. 

James  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  an  independent  congrega- 
tion in  Edinburgh,  which  had  its  home  in  a  large  Tabernacle 
built  at  the  expense  of  Robert.  There  he  ministered  for 
nearly  fifty  years  with  great  success.  From  first  to  last,  how- 
ever, he  mixed  with  the  work  of  a  pastor  that  of  an  itinerant 
preacher,  traveling  throughout  Scotland  and  the  Orkney  Islands 
preaching  to  multitudes.  His  biographer  says  :  "  It  would  be 
difficult  to  name  any  town  or  important  village  in  Scotland 
where,  at  one  period  or  another,  James  Haldane  did  not, 
with  all  the  energy  of  heavenly  truth,  give  utterance  to  a 
full,  free,  and  impressive  invitation  to  '  Behold  the  Lamb  of 
God  who  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world. ' '  While  Robert 
was  mild  of  manner  as  a  preacher,  James  was  aggressive  ;  both 
were  men  of  great  intellectual  force,  mighty  in  the  Scriptures, 
and  given  to  preaching  sermons  which  made  the  great  doc- 
trinal verities  the  fulcrum  of  their  every  appeal. 


BRITISH  367 

It  was  in  1808,  thirteen  years  after  their  conversion,  that  the 
brothers  espoused  Baptist  views  and  were  immersed.  There- 
after, their  great  influence  was  exerted  in  favor  of  what  they 
deemed  to  be  the  truth.  At  the  beginning  of  the  century 
Baptists  were  a  feeble  folk  indeed  in  Scotland.  Their  re- 
markable growth  in  that  country  is  directly  and  chiefly  due  to 
the  personal  efforts  and  munificent  gifts  of  Robert  and  James 
Haldane,  the  former  of  whom  died  in  1842,  the  latter  in  185 1. 

It  is  when  we  pass  to  England,  however,  that  the  greatest 
names  of  the  initial  group  appear.  Andrew  Fuller  and  Robert 
Hall  were  at  the  zenith  of  their  influence  as  the  century 
opened. 

Fuller  was  born  in  1754.  Five  years  after  his  conversion, 
and  without  any  academic  training,  he  was,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one,  ordained  pastor  of  the  httle  Baptist  church  at 
Soham,  in  Cambridgeshire.  The  times  were  controversial, 
pastoral  duties  were  light,  and  the  young  pastor  gave  himself 
to  study.  In  a  seven  years'  pastorate,  he  made  considerable 
progress  in  Greek  and  Hebrew,  digested  a  whole  library  of 
theology,  and  became  established  in  those  truths  with  which 
his  name  is  associated.  In  1782  he  removed  to  Kettering, 
Northamptonshire,  where  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  life.  He 
was  secretary  of  that  first  Baptist  missionary  society  by  which 
Carey  was  sent  to  India,  and,  as  has  been  said,  "  while  others 
nobly  aided,  Andrew  Fuller  was  substantially  the  society  till 
he  reached  the  realms  of  glory. ' '  Long  before  his  death,  in 
1815,  his  name,  through  his  voluminous  writings,  had  become 
a  household  word  in  England  and  America.  As  the  ' '  Frank- 
lin of  Theology"  he  gave  hyper-Calvinism  its  death-blow, 
and  reconstructed  theology  for  English  and  American  Baptists. 
He  was  a  man  of  deepest  spirituality.  His  sermons,  while 
lacking  imagination  and  the  adornments  of  oratory,  are  models 
of  deep  thought,  presented  with  absolute  lucidity  and  with 
the  glow  of  a  burning  heart.  His  influence  was  immense. 
Princeton  and  Yale  each  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of 
D.  D. ,  and  in  each  case  the  honor  was  declined.  Readers 
of  "  Rab  and  His  Friends  "  will  remember  the  tribute  of  Dr. 
John  Brown:  '*You  must  have  often  observed,"  he  says, 
"the  likeness  of  certain  dogs  to  men.  Now  I  never  looked 
at  Rab  without  thinking  of  the  great  Baptist  preacher,  An- 
drew Fuller.  The  same  large,  heavy,  menacing,  combative, 
sombre,  honest  countenance,  the  same  deep,  inevitable  eye, 
the  same  look, — as  of  thunder  asleep,  but  ready, — neither  a 
dog  nor  a  man  to  be  trifled  with." 

Robert  Hall  was  born  ten  years  later  than  Fuller  and  sur- 


368      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

vived  him  sixteen  years.  He  was  extraordinarily  precocious, 
and,  unlike  his  friend,  enjoyed  excellent  advantages  in  his 
youth,  being  the  son  of  a  minister  and  a  graduate  of  Bristol 
College  and  Aberdeen  University,  while  yet  only  twenty-one 
years  of  age.  He  was  less  of  a  systematic  theologian  than 
Fuller,  his  peer  in  devotion  to  evangelical  truth,  a  man  of 
exalted  character  and  great  personal  dignity,  and  an  orator 
of  overwhelming  authority.  It  was  in  this  last  respect  that 
he  was  unique  in  his  own  age  and  must  rank  with  the  fore- 
most of  any  age.  At  Cambridge,  men  of  the  highest  rank 
and  intellect  went  to  his  chapel  as  a  matter  of  course.  John 
Foster,  who  took  a  higher  place  in  literature  than  Hall  him- 
self, and  of  whom  as  a  preacher  Chalmers  said  when  com- 
paring him  with  Hall,  he  "fetches  his  thought  from  a  deeper 
spring,"  declared  him  to  be  "unquestionably  the  greatest 
preacher  in  the  world."  Macaulay  was  his  warm  admirer, 
and  in  the  "  Caxtons  "  Bulwer  Lytton  devotes  a  chapter  to 
the  great  preacher's  praise.  Bristol,  Cambridge,  Leicester, 
and  Bristol  again,  enjoyed  his  pastoral  ministrations.  He  did 
not  read  his  sermons  and  seldom  wrote  them  entire.  Though 
beginning  in  a  low  voice  he  gave  promise  from  the  first  that 
he  would  soon  break  away  and  expand  and  kindle  with  his 
theme.  One  Avho  heard  him  said  that  when  the  liberty 
arrived  the  preaching  became  "like  an  impetuous  mountain 
torrent  in  a  still  night."  Large  knowledge,  vigorous  philo- 
sophic grasp,  great  analytical  power,  an  imperial  imagination, 
marked  energy  and  felicity  of  style,  great  depth  of  evangelical 
passion,  and  general  sensibility  born  of  lifelong  suffering, 
were  all  elements  in  his  almost  unparalleled  pulpit  power. 

II.    THE    MID-CENTURY    GROUP. 

Passing  to  the  period  in  which  the  mid-century  group 
flourished,  clear  marks  of  progress  are  noticeable.  The  earher 
controversies  with  Socinianism  had  largely  accomplished  their 
work ;  FuUerism  had  liberated  the  energies  of  the  churches 
from  the  iron  bondage  of  hyper-Calvinism  ;  the  gospel  was  a 
message  of  redemption,  it  was  to  be  pressed  with  urgency 
upon  all  men,  and  to  be  apphed  as  the  cure  for  all  moral  and 
social  ills.  The  typical  minister  in  the  higher  ranks  was  a 
product  of  these  changes.  He  was,  moreover,  cultured  and 
widely  influential. 

In  the  constellation  of  prominent  names  that  shine  out 
from  these  central  decades  of  the  century  there  is  no  star  of 
the  first  magnitude  answering  to  the  lustrous  name  of  Hall, 
or  to  certain  names  that  will  appear  as  the  third  group  comes 


BRITISH  369 

into  view.  The  time  was,  marked  rather  by  tlie  large  number 
of  sohd,  noble  men,  of  whom  there  were  so  many  that,  con- 
sidering the  scope  and  purpose  of  this  chapter,  it  will  be  pos- 
sible to  do  httle  more  than  enumerate  the  names  of  the  more 
conspicuous  of  them. 

Among  the  most  honored  may  be  mentioned  :  John  How- 
ard Hinton,  the  influential  pastor  of  the  Devonshire  Square 
Church,  London,  whose  preaching,  according  to  Newman 
Hall,  was  "a  combination  of  stern  logic  and  tender  emotion," 
and  who  was  besides  a  voluminous  theological  writer  of  great 
native  abihty  and  superior  culture  ;  John  Eustace  Giles,  au- 
thor of  the  baptismal  hymn,  '<  Hast  thou  said,  exalted  Jesus," 
whose  pulpit  talents,  during  his  ministry  at  Leeds  in  the  prime 
of  hfe,  were  of  the  highest  order  ;  Dr.  Wihiam  Brock,  the 
biographer  of  Sir  Henry  Havelock,  and  the  famous  pastor 
for  twenty  years  of  Bloomsbury  Chapel,  London,  which  be- 
came under  his  ministry  "a  center  of  Christian  evangelization 
and  philanthropy,  the  like  of  which  could  not  then  be  easily 
found  in  London"  ;  the  Hon.  Baptist  W.  Noel,  pastor  of 
John  Street  Church,  London,  simple,  graceful,  persuasive, 
whose  secession  in  the  forties  from  the  Estabhshed  Church, 
in  which  he  had  been  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  eminent 
preachers,  was  the  ecclesiastical  event  of  the  times  ;  Hugh 
Stowell  Brown,  for  forty  years  the  pastor  of  Myrtle  Street 
Church,  Liverpool,  than  whom  it  would  have  been  difficult 
to  find  a  man  broader,  truer,  stronger,  or  more  full  of  fresh- 
ness and  force  ;  Dr.  William  Landels,  pastor  successively  at 
Circus  Chapel,  Birmingham,  Regent's  Park,  London,  and 
Dublin  Street,  Edinburgh,  of  whose  "powerful  preaching" 
the  British  papers  wrote  in  warmest  praise  at  the  time  of  the 
aged  preacher's  death  ;  Charles  Vince,  the  erratic,  but  bril- 
hant  preacher  of  Birmingham  ;  J.  P.  Mursell,  of  Leicester, 
for  many  years  the  recognized  leader  of  the  denomination 
in  the  midland  districts ;  not  to  speak  of  others  scarcely  less 
notable  in  England,  or  of  an  array  of  more  than  ordinary 
men  who  exercised  their  ministry  in  the  pulpits  of  Wales. 

III.    THE    GROUP    OF    THE    CLOSING    DECADES. 

Coming  now  to  the  third  group,  fuller  treatment  must  be 
accorded.  It  was  hinted  at  an  earlier  stage,  that  names 
would  present  themselves  in  this  group  of  the  closing  decade 
which  shed  a  lustre  upon  the  Baptist  pulpit  not  less  brilhant 
than  that  of  the  opening  years.  That  the  prediction  was  justified 
will  not  be  questioned  in  the  presence  of  the  names  of  Charles 
Haddon  Spurgeon  and  Alexander  McLaren. 

Y 


370      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

Spurgeon's  earlier  ministry  was  contemporaneous  with  the 
later  work  of  the  mid-century  group,  but  since  the  century 
was  more  than  half  spent  before  his  great  career  in  London 
was  begun,  and  it  was  in  1892  when  his  ministry  was  closed 
by  death,  he  may  be  appropriately  classed  with  the  men  of 
the  closing  years.  The  general  facts  of  his  boyhood  and 
youth,  of  his  settlement  in  London  at  the  age  of  twenty,  and 
of  that  wonderful  ministry  of  thirty-eight  years  as  pastor  of 
the  same  church,  are  so  familiar  as  to  need  no  restatement 
here.  The  good-natured,  burly  presence  has  been  familiar 
by  his  portraits  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  Chris- 
tendom, and  of  his  sermons  who  has  not  read  at  least  a  speci- 
men ? 

His  fame,  during  his  life,  was  worldwide,  and  while  the 
pulpit  lasts  his  place  among  the  foremost  prophets  of  the 
church  will  be  secure.  The  analysis  of  his  amazing  power 
over  men,  a  power  which  he  displayed  as  a  mere  boy,  and 
which  he  held  to  the  last,  discloses  many  important  elements. 
He  was  an  orator  of  the  first  rank,  with  a  marvelous  voice, 
clear  as  a  silver  bell  and  winning  as  a  woman's,  with  an  un- 
failing command  of  that  lucid  Saxon  which  somehow  goes 
warm  to  the  hearts  of  men,  with  a  powerful  imagination,  a 
rare  gift  of  humor,  and  a  heart  overflowing  with  compassion 
and  yearning  sympathy  for  humanity.  He  was  a  man  of 
perfect  sincerity,  swayed  by  simple  and  holy  motives,  and 
commending  himself  to  men  everywhere  as  a  genuine  servant 
of  God  and  lover  of  his  kind.  He  was,  moreover,  a  man  of 
astonishing  ability.  He  did  not  solve  any  theological  pro- 
blems ;  speculation  was,  in  his  judgment,  a  waste  of  time  and 
a  weariness  to  the  flesh  ;  but  within  his  range  of  thought  and 
activity  he  was  a  man  of  immense  strength.  Doctor  Clifford 
said  of  him  after  his  death:  "For  soHd,  enduring,  harmoni- 
ous strength,  set  to  work,  and  kept  at  work  for  highest  ends, 
he  surpasses  all  other  preachers  of  whom  I  can  think. ' '  Dr. 
Robertson  NicoU  said  at  the  same  time  :  "  Many  talk  still  of 
his  'crab-apple  fertility,'  and  compare  him  compassionately 
with  such  men  as  Liddon.  In  truth  there  was  no  compari- 
son ;  in  point  of  sheer  ability,  Spurgeon  was  as  far  above 
Liddon  as  Liddon  was  above  Farrar. "  But  with  all  his  elo- 
quence, his  sincerity,  his  ability,  he  would  never  have  won 
the  place  he  secured,  nor  have  done  the  work  he  did,  if  it 
had  not  been,  as  Doctor  Brown,  of  Bedford,  said  in  his  Yale 
Lectures,  that  he  was  "a  preacher  of  Christ's  gospel."  No 
other  minister  of  the  New  Covenant  since  the  days  of  Paul 
ever  preached  the  great  catholic  truths  of  the  gospel  and  those 


BRITISH  371 

which  spring  from  them  with  diviner  understanding  of  their  con- 
tent, with  a  more  exulting  sense  of  their  preciousness,  or  with 
more  utter  conviction  that  they  are  hfe  to  a  sinful  and  dying 
world.  With  equal  certainty  it  may  be  affirmed  that  never 
before  in  the  history  of  the  Christian  church  was  any  man 
privileged  to  address  so  many  of  his  fellow-creatures  on  the 
things  of  God,  or  to  see  such  obvious  results  from  his  min- 
istry. Not  only  will  his  fame  abide,  but  his  influence  also  is 
bound  to  be  gloriously  perpetuated  through  the  great  church 
which  was  gathered  under  his  ministry,  through  the  converts 
in  every  land  reached  by  his  printed  sermons,  through  the 
hundreds  of  ministers  who  were  trained  in  his  Pastor's  Col- 
lege, through  the  many  volumes  which  preserve  his  pulpit 
testimony,  and  through  his  great  expository  work  on  the 
Psalms,  the  "  Treasury  of  David. " 

Of  a  very  different  type  in  many  important  respects,  yet 
only  less  notable  in  his  way,  is  Dr.  Alexander  McLaren,  of 
Manchester.  It  is  no  light  honor  which  God  has  put  upon 
the  British  Baptists,  to  have  given  them  within  the  same 
period  two  such  men  as  these.  McLaren  began  his  public 
ministry  eight  years  before  Spurgeon  burst  upon  the  public 
view,  and  to-day  in  the  closing  months  of  the  century,  him- 
self seventy-four  years  of  age,  he  is  still  at  work,  ranking 
easily  as  the  foremost  preacher  in  Britain.  Haihng  from 
Scotland,  where  he  was  born  in  1826,  and  where  he  was  con- 
verted and  baptized  at  the  age  of  eleven,  he  removed  with 
his  parents  to  London  in  1841.  In  1842  he  entered  Stepney 
College,  now  Regent's  Park,  and  in  four  years  had  completed 
the  course  there,  and  obtained  the  B.  A.  degree  of  the  Lon- 
don University.  His  first  settlement  was  at  Southampton, 
where  he  labored  from  1846-1858,  steadily  gaining  in  power, 
and  creating  the  conviction  more  and  more  that  a  man  of 
"light  and  leading"  was  in  training.  He  left  Southampton 
to  assume  the  pastorate  of  Union  Chapel,  Manchester,  from 
which  center  his  influence  has  been  radiating  in  steadily 
widening  circles  ever  since. 

To  explain  his  power  is  a  more  difiicult  task  than  in  the 
case  of  Spurgeon.  To  contrast  him  with  that  great  preacher 
for  a  moment :  he  is  not  an  orator  in  the  popular  acceptation 
of  the  term  ;  unlike  Spurgeon  he  received  a  severe  academic 
training  and  exhibits  severity  in  all  his  processes ;  he  has  also 
through  his  life  exhibited  more  pronounced  scholastic  instincts 
than  his  great  contemporary,  and  a  truer  understanding  of 
modern  modes  of  thought.  His  peculiar  power  must  be 
attributed  in  the  first  instance  to  those  gifts  of  heaven,  "the 


372      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH   CENTURY 

sovereign  bestowal  with  which  he  started  hfe  " — an  unusually 
keen,  incisive  intellect,  a  peculiarly  penetrating  gift  of  imagina- 
tion, and  great  nervous  force  which  quickens  and  intensifies 
all  his  speaking  and  thinking.  Then  his  preaching  is  intensely 
biblical.  The  Scriptures  are  a  revelation  from  God.  To 
discover  the  mind  of  the  Spirit  and  to  bring  this  home  to  the 
hearts  of  men  is  his  conception  of  the  preacher's  business. 
The  sermon  is  bathed  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  text  and  con- 
text. The  preaching,  therefore,  is  invariably  charged  with 
the  potency  of  divine  authority,  expressing  itself  through  a 
convinced,  and  utterly  reverent  spirit.  The  form  and  style 
of  McLaren's  sermons  constitute  a  further  cause  of  power. 
Fresh  in  thought  and  expression,  animated,  not  grand  nor 
mighty,  they  are  very  interesting  and  easy  to  listen  to.  The 
structure  is  chiefly  textual,  the  divisions  are  often  final  and 
irresistible.  The  style  is,  moreover,  simple,  very  pure,  bright, 
and  engaging.  There  is  a  singular  felicity  and  originality  in 
the  illustrations  used.  "  Logic  on  fire  "  is  the  apt  expression 
which  has  been  used  to  describe  this  preaching,  so  vigorous 
in  thought,  so  bright  in  expression,  so  charged  with  the  fer- 
vor of  mind  and  spirit. 

The  crowning  cause  of  McLaren's  great  influence,  how- 
ever, is  found  in  the  fact  that,  like  Spurgeon,  he  too  has 
ever  been  a  preacher  of  Christ's  gospel,  the  gospel  of  the 
New  Testament,  without  abatement.  Take  up  his  sermons 
when  and  where  you  will,  in  his  earliest  or  his  latest  ministry, 
there  is  no  hesitation,  no  wavering,  for  example,  as  to  the 
doctrine  of  the  cross  ;  that  cross  is  the  utmost  revelation  of 
the  divine  love,  and  it  is  this  because  it  is  the  propitiation 
for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  The  sermons  of  McLaren 
are  almost  as  well  known  in  America  as  in  England.  Nearly 
twenty  volumes  of  them  are  now  in  circulation,  and  single 
sermons  of  his  are  continually  appearing  in  the  religious 
periodicals.  He  is  sometimes  styled  the  preacher's  preacher, 
having  become  in  his  influence  over  other  preachers  what 
F.  W.  Robertson  was  in  the  earher  part  of  the  century.  His 
expository  volumes  in  the  Expositor's  Bible  are  among  the 
best  of  that  very  valuable  series. 

Besides  these  two  outstanding  men  there  are,  living  and 
toiling  as  the  century  closes,  many  others  whose  conspicuous 
ability  and  influence  would  entitle  them  to  more  than  passing 
notice  did  space  permit.  There  is  Dr.  John  Clifford,  of 
Westbourne  Park  Chapel,  London,  able,  learned,  versatile, 
hospitable  to  the  scientific  and  critical  spirit  of  the  age,  yet 
passionately  loyal  to  the  central  truths  of  the  gospel,  a  most 


BRITISH  373 

effective  preacher,  and  one  of  the  most  influential  leaders 
of  nonconformity  in  England.  There  is  Dr.  Richard  Glover, 
of  Bristol,  a  patriarch  among  his  brethren,  a  man  of  great 
personal  dignity,  of  wide  reading  and  culture,  a  pastor  witli  a 
noble  record,  and  ranking  in  the  general  esteem  as  one  of 
the  foremost  ministers  in  the  West.  There  is  Charles  Wil- 
liams, the  able  and  popular  preacher  at  Accrington.  There 
is  F.  B.  Meyer,  of  London,  so  well  known  throughout  Chris- 
tendom by  his  devotional  and  expository  writings.  There  is 
John  Thomas,  of  Myrtle  Street,  Liverpool ;  Archibald  Brown, 
of  East  London  fame  ;  E.  G.  Gauge,  of  Regent's  Park,  Lon- 
don ;  J.  G.  Greenough,  of  Victoria  Road,  Leicester  ;  James 
Thew,  of  Belvoir  Street,  Leicester  ;  John  Robertson,  of 
Glasgow  ;  Thomas  Spurgeon,  the  successor  of  his  father  in 
the  pastorate  of  the  Metropolitan  Tabernacle — all  men  of 
individuahty,  of  devotion  to  the  holy  caUing,  and  of  masterful 
influence  in  their  respective  spheres. 

The  nineteenth  century  is  the  golden  age  of  the  British  Bap- 
tist pulpit.  Whether  the  new  century  shall  outshine  it  in  the 
glory  and  power  which  the  pulpit  shall  develop,  cannot  be  fore- 
told. The  possibility  of  equal  or  heightened  power  will  be 
largely  a  matter  of  God's  sovereign  ordaining.  Hall,  Spur- 
geon, McLaren,  with  their  wonderful  endowments,  were  God's 
gifts  to  the  age.  Will  he  give  the  like  again  ?  Beyond  this, 
however,  it  is  certain  that  much  will  depend  on  what  shall  be 
the  future  substance  of  the  preaching.  The  note  of  the  passing 
century  has  been  the  note  that  makes  great  preaching  possi- 
ble. It  has  been  the  note  of  the  cross.  Said  Christmas 
Evans,  when  dying :  "  I  have  labored  in  the  sanctuary  fifty- 
three  years,  and  this  is  my  comfort,  that  I  have  never  labored 
without  blood  in  the  basin."  Alexander  McLaren  said  re- 
cently, "  Christianity  without  a  dying  Christ  must  soon 
become  a  dying  Christianity."  Should  this  note  be  lacking 
in  the  future  nothing  else  can  make  amends.  Pulpit  power 
has  many  secrets,  but  its  deepest  secret  is  the  passion  of  the 
cross. 

Thomas  Trotter, 


PART  II 

NORTHERN 

At  the  beginning  of  the  century  the  one  conspicuous  figure 
in  the  Baptist  pulpit  is  at  the  same  time  the  most  unique  and 


374      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

picturesque  of  the  century.  Dear  to  the  Baptist  heart  is  the 
thought  that  hberty  of  prophesying  sliould  extend  to  the  un- 
lettered. A  great  glory  of  the  denomination  has  been  the 
number  of  its  able  preachers  who  were  to  a  large  extent  self- 
taught.  It  seems  fitting  then  that  the  two  brightest  lights  at  the 
dawning  of  the  century  were  men  who  had  not  had  the  highest 
advantages  of  technical  education.  In  1800  John  Leland  had 
already  been  preaching  for  twenty-three  years  ;  but  as  he 
lived  until  1841,  and  continued  to  preach  until  a  week  before 
his  death,  at  the  age  eighty-seven,  his  work  belongs  chiefly  to 
the  nineteenth  century.  Born  in  New  England  his  first  min- 
istry was  in  Virginia,  where  during  fifteen  years  he  preached 
from  place  to  place,  averaging  more  than  200  sermons  and 
nearly  fifty  baptisms  a  year,  and  estabhshing  two  large 
churches.  Then  he  returned  to  Massachusetts  and  passed 
the  rest  of  his  days  as  a  peripatetic  preacher,  delivering  more 
sermons  than  most  settled  pastors  and  baptizing  multitudes. 

Mr.  Leland  was  a  man  of  commanding  stature,  with  a 
massive  forehead,  a  vigorous  and  sHghtly  aquiUne  nose  above 
a  firm,  straight  mouth,  about  which  lurked  suggestions  of 
tender  sentiment  and  mirthfulness.  He  had  large  and  beau- 
tiful blue  eyes,  which  sometimes  flashed  with  electrical  ex- 
pression. His  bearing  was  dignified  and  gracious,  as  of  one 
who,  though  unpolished,  had  yet  the  heart  of  a  gentleman. 
He  preached  the  old  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  from 
whatever  part  of  the  Bible  he  took  his  text  he  always  ended 
in  the  third  chapter  of  John.  One  cannot  help  feehng  that 
he  must  have  estabhshed  the  type  for  many  of  the  quaint  and 
racy  Baptist  preachers  of  the  century. 

In  Boston  Doctor  Stillman  in  his  fine  old  age  still  lingered. 
Dr.  Thomas  Baldwin,  when  the  century  dawns,  has  been  for 
ten  years  pastor  of  the  Second  Baptist,  now  the  Warren 
Avenue  Church.  Previously  to  that  he  had  been  pastor  at 
Canaan,  Conn.,  for  seven  years.  In  1801  he  is  forty-eight 
years  of  age,  and  has  yet  twenty-five  years  to  serve.  From 
the  backwoods  to  the  large  and  poHshed  city  was  a  great 
change.  Like  Leland,  he  had  known  but  little  of  schools, 
yet  he  had  a  mother  of  refined  intehectual  tastes,  and  he  had 
eagerly  perused  all  the  classic  writings  that  came  within  his 
reach,  and  he  was  not  unprepared  for  the  transfer.  In  stature 
he  is  somewhat  above  the  ordinary,  with  a  dignified  but  mild 
and  engaging  countenance.  He  never  soars  on  the  wings  of 
imaginative  eloquence.  His  style  is  not  rhetorical,  but  is 
strong  and  perspicuous.  His  power  lies  in  clear  statement 
and  careful  reasoning.      He  impresses  his  audiences  as  being 


NORTHERN  375 

earnestly  solicitous  for  their  highest  good,  and  'Miis  expostu- 
lations with  the  young  are  in  a  remarkable  degree  affectionate, 
parental,  and  pathetic. ' ' 

Meanwhile,  in  Philadelphia  another  luminary  has  arisen. 
William  Staughton  was  born  and  reared  in  England.  Thence 
by  special  appointment  he  goes  to  South  Carolina  for  a  brief 
pastorate,  from  which  he  drifts  to  New  Jersey.  In  1805, 
having  been  twelve  years  in  the  ministry,  he  comes  to  Phila- 
delphia for  six  years'  service  as  pastor  of  the  First  Church,  and 
twelve  years  at  Sansom  Street. 

His  labors  in  the  ministry  are  something  marvelous.  On 
some  Sabbaths  he  preaches  three  or  four  sermons.  He 
preaches  twice  during  the  week.  He  also  lectures  to  young 
ladies  in  two  seminaries  ;  and  at  the  same  time  he  directs  the 
studies  of  several  young  men,  who  constitute  what  has  been 
called  ''the  first  Baptist  theological  school  in  this  country,  in 
which  some  of  the  brightest  lights  of  the  denomination  were 
educated."  At  the  same  time  he  is  quite  active  as  an  editor. 
After  a  few  years'  service  as  president  of  the  Columbian 
College,  in  Washington,  D.  C,  Doctor  Staughton  died  in 
1829,  aged  fifty-nine. 

Meanwhile,  his  pupil,  Daniel  Sharp,  has  begun  a  pastorate 
in  Boston,  at  the  Charles  Street  Church,  which  continues 
from  1812  until  1853,  when  he  died,  aged  seventy.  He  is 
not  above  the  middle  size,  but  is  erect  and  commanding  in 
appearance.  His  high  forehead  is  crowned  in  his  later  years 
with  silvery  locks,  and  his  well-cut  features  indicate  a  refined 
and  vigorous  character.  His  appearance  before  an  audience 
immediately  fixes  attention.  His  voice  is  "full  and  strong, 
always  pleasant  and  sometimes  musical."  Sometimes  the 
tenderness  and  dignity  of  his  utterance  made  his  words  strik- 
ingly effective.  Generous  and  transparent  in  character,  ab- 
horring all  indirection  and  dissimulation,  frank  and  cordial  in 
manner,  with  a  dignified  urbanity,  it  is  not  strange  that  Doctor 
Sears  should  say  of  him,  "Perhaps  no  clergyman  in  Boston 
was  more  universally  respected." 

And  now  New  York  City  attracts  our  attention,  for  there 
has  appeared  one  of  the  most  striking  figures  in  our  galaxy. 
Spencer  H.  Cone,  whom  we  find  beginning  his  metropohtan 
ministry  in  1823,  has  had  thus  far  a  checkered  and  somewhat 
romantic  fife.  Advancing  rapidly  in  the  studies  of  his  boy- 
hood, he  is,  as  a  student  at  Princeton  College,  giving  unusual 
promise  of  a  briUiant  career,  when  the  death  of  his  father 
throws  upon  him,  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  the  care  of  his 
mother's  family.       He  becomes  a  successful   teacher;    but 


3/6      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

necessity  drives  him  to  the  stage.  As  an  actor  he  wins 
popular  favor  and  gives  promise  of  a  star  ;  but  he  loathes  the 
occupation  with  a  noble  ambition  for  something  worthier. 
He  turns  to  other  occupations,  as  bookkeeper,  journalist, 
government  clerk  at  Washington.  He  wins  a  young  lady  of 
Philadelphia,  who  has  been  attracted  by  his  appearance  on 
the  stage,  and  they  are  married.  When  he  is  converted  at 
the  age  of  twenty-nine  she  is  surprised  by  this  unexpected 
turn  of  affairs,  but  soon  joins  him  in  his  Christian  profession. 
He  begins  his  career  as  a  preacher  in  Washington,  where 
crowds  throng  to  hear  him.  He  is  made  chaplain  of  the 
House  of  Representatives.  Seven  years  later  he  begins  his 
work  in  New  York,  to  continue  for  eighteen  years  at  the 
Oliver  Street  and  fourteen  at  the  First  Church,  in  Broome 
Street. 

His  power  lay  largely  in  his  personality  and  his  elocution. 
Six  feet  in  height  and  with  a  very  engaging  countenance,  he 
had  a  marvelous  voice,  with  a  ringing,  silvery  quahty.  Notli- 
ing  of  the  theatrical  clung  to  him,  yet  his  experience  on  the 
stage  had  given  him  a  habit  of  clear  enunciation  and  sus- 
tained utterance  which  rendered  every  word  to  the  end  of 
each  sentence  and  of  the  sermon  effective.  With  such  a 
presence  and  delivery,  with  no  affectation  of  scholarship  or 
sub-soil  thinking,  addressing  the  average  rather  than  the  cul- 
tivated mind,  with  a  fervent  spirit  and  an  evangelical  method, 
he  achieved  distinction  in  New  York,  and  was  known  as  "  the 
most  active  Baptist  minister  in  the  United  States,  and  the 
most  popular  clergyman  in  America." 

Our  attention  is  turned  again  to  New  England,  to  con- 
template the  noblest  figure  of  all,  the  grand  old  man,  Francis 
Wayland.  It  is  true  that  his  great  reputation  is  that  of  an 
author  and  educator  rather  than  a  preacher.  His  experience 
as  a  pastor  included  but  five  years'  service  as  a  young  man  at 
the  First  Church  in  Boston  and  a  year  and  a  half  as  an  old 
man  at  the  First  Church  in  Providence  ;  but  during  the 
twenty-eight  intervening  years  of  his  presidency  at  Brown 
University  he  was  the  most  frequent  preacher  at  the  weekly 
chapel  services  and  was  practically  the  students'  pastor,  thus 
undoubtedly  exerting  an  influence  more  profound  and  wide- 
reaching  than  that  of  any  other  minister  who  will  claim  our 
attention  in  this  paper. 

In  his  early  ministry  he  was  somewhat  elaborate  and 
rhetorical,  but  in  later  years  his  style  became  the  perfection 
of  simplicity,  employing  the  plainest  Anglo-Saxon  words  and 
making  lucidity  and  directness  the  supreme  aim.   His  manner 


NORTHERN  377 

in  preaching  was  not  in  the  least  oratorical.  His  gestures  were 
very  few  and  undemonstrative.  His  power  was  not  that  of 
conventional  eloquence  ;  it  was  the  power  of  a  large  and  rich 
personality,  a  fervent  and  childlike  devotion,  a  comprehensive 
grasp  of  essential  truth,  and  an  absolutely  transparent  mode 
of  expression. 

Before  us  appears  now  one  of  the  most  peculiar  characters 
in  the  Baptist  pulpit  of  the  century,  one  who  is  entitled  to  a 
place  among  its  great  evangelists.  Jacob  Knapp  was  edu- 
cated at  Madison,  now  Colgate  University.  For  a  few  years 
he  held  pastorates  in  the  interior  of  New  York  State  ;  then 
for  forty  years  he  preached  from  New  England  to  California, 
his  ministry  being  attended  with  great  power  and  with  many 
conversions.  Short  and  thickset  in  person,  with  a  broad 
face  and  square  forehead,  having  a  curious  habit  of  inces- 
santly winking  or  bhnking  with  his  eyes  as  he  spoke,  he  was 
a  powerful  orator,  and  excelled  in  the  command  of  an  audience. 
Usually  his  preaching  was  a  steady  flow  of  rapid  discourse, 
with  but  little  gesture  or  action.  He  might  have  taken  as 
his  motto,  "Knowing  the  terror  of  the  Lord  I  persuade 
men,"  for  he  was  unsparing  in  his  denunciation  of  doom  to 
the  impenitent.  When  interest  flagged  he  had  dreadful 
stories  to  tell  of  death-bed  scenes  and  dreams  of  perdition. 
He  was  accustomed  to  assail  Universahsm,  until  its  adherents 
were  excited  to  bitterest  antagonism.  This  served  his  pur- 
pose, for  it  aroused  the  community  and  increased  his  congre- 
gations. "I  am  not  at  my  best  unless  there  is  a  vigorous 
opposition,"  he  said  to  a  friend.  If  an  objector  sprang  to 
his  feet  to  contradict  him,  he  would  turn  upon  him  a  torrent 
of  rebuke  that  would  quickly  suppress  him.  When  inter- 
rupted at  one  time  by  a  specially  venomous  opponent  he 
addressed  him  with  an  appeal  that  God  might  blast  him.  It 
is  related  that  the  man  sank  into  his  seat  paralyzed  and  dumb 
from  that  instant.  His  prayers  were  the  utterances  of  one 
who  felt  that  he  had  a  mission  from  on  high,  and  who  talked 
with  God.  Even  his  most  eccentric  expressions  were  uttered 
in  a  tone  of  solemn  earnestness  which  suppressed  mirthful- 
ness.  Yet,  withal,  in  his  afternoon  discourses  to  believers 
he  abounded  in  helpful  instruction  and  comfort.  It  should 
be  said  that  the  violent  methods  of  "  Elder  Knapp,"  as  he 
was  commonly  called,  by  a  large  number  of  Baptist  churches 
were  entirely  disapproved  ;  but  prominent  place  is  given  to 
him  here  as  a  type  of  an  order  of  things  which  had  wide 
prevalence,  and  which  has  so  completely  passed  away  as  to 
be  almost  forgotten. 


378      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

We  breathe  a  very  different  atmosphere  when  we  turn  to 
Dr.  Bartholomew  Welch,  pastor  for  seven  years  of  the  First 
Church,  and  afterward  for  fourteen  years  of  the  Pearl  Street, 
now  Emmanuel  Church,  in  Albany,  N,  Y.  A  brief  pastorate 
in  Brooklyn,  at  the  Pierrepont  Street  Church,  was  a  small  part 
of  his  life-work.  President  Martin  Van  Buren,  Secretary 
Marcy,  and  other  eminent  men,  statesmen,  judges,  capital- 
ists, and  families  of  high  social  position  attended  his  ministry. 
As  his  discourses  were  not  written  but  little  remains  to  in- 
dicate his  style.  It  is  said  to  have  been  a  happy  blending 
of  the  doctrinal  and  the  practical,  kindled  into  hfe  by  a  glow- 
ing oratory  such  as  was  held  in  highest  estimation  in  that 
day.  In  reaching  the  consciences  of  his  hearers,  rebuking 
sin,  and  awakening  backsliders,  Doctor  Welch  was  bold  with- 
out rudeness  and  faithful  without  wounding  his  hearers  or 
losing  their  respect.  He  had  a  large  and  vigorous  physique, 
a  dark  complexion  with  black  eyes,  and  his  manner  was  dig- 
nified and  self-possessed. 

Dr.  Nathaniel  Colver,  hke  Doctor  Welch,  was  a  native  of 
New  England,  and  both  were  born  in  1794.  He  held  many 
pastorates  in  New  York  State,  Boston,  Cincinnati,  and  Chi- 
cago. His  last  work  was  done  in  Richmond,  Va. ,  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Freedmen's  Institute.  His  most  notable  service 
was  performed  in  Boston  from  1839-185 2  during  which  he 
was  the  pastor  of  the  noted  Tremont  Temple  Church,  which 
was  founded  by  him  in  connection  with  Timothy  Gilbert  and 
other  aggressive  characters.  His  ministry  is  said  to  have 
been  "unique  in  the  history  of  Boston,  and  scarcely  equaled 
at  any  time  in  this  country  for  boldness,  energy,  the  mastery 
of  formidable  difficulties,  and  its  hold  upon  popular  interest. ' ' 
Dr.  Colver  had  an  imposing  presence,  with  a  massive  frame 
and  a  powerful  voice.  His  denunciations  of  whatever  he  dis- 
approved, masonry,  slavery,  moral  or  doctrinal  aberration, 
were  fearless  and  unsparing.  He  preached  the  modified 
Calvinism  of  Andrew  Fuller  with  incessant  iteration.  With 
his  plain  and  direct  language  and  his  impressive  manner  he 
was  a  favorite  preacher  to  thoughtful  hearers. 

Among  the  eminent  Baptist  ministers  of  Boston  none  ever 
held  a  higher  position  of  respect  and  influence  in  that  city 
than  Baron  Stow  (1801-1869).  After  a  pastorate  of  five 
years  in  Portsmouth,  N.  H. ,  he  came  in  1832  to  Boston. 
For  sixteen  years  he  was  pastor  of  the  Baldwin  Place  Church, 
and  for  nineteen  years  of  the  Rowe  Street  Church.  In  his 
earlier  ministry  his  preaching  attracted  multitudes.  Students 
at   Newton  Theological  Seminary  and  at   Harvard   College 


NORTHERN  379 

deemed  it  a  light  task  to  walk  to  the  city  to  hear  his  Sunday 
evening  sermons.  He  was  full  of  energy  ;  his  clear  bass 
voice  fell  delightfully  upon  the  ear ;  there  was  a  resistless 
power  in  his  eloquence  like  the  swell  and  sweep  of  the  ocean 
wave.  So  testifies  Dr.  RoUin  H.  Neale,  who  was  then  a 
student  at  Newton.  He  was  of  a  vigorous  physical  frame, 
though  not  tall,  and  had  large  features,  with  black  and  lus- 
trous eyes.  His  pulpit  style  was  the  product  of  a  well-stored 
and  highly  cultivated  mind  and  of  painstaking  elaboration. 

The  name  of  Dr.  George  B.  Ide  (1804-1872)  belongs  to 
this  period.  Although  not  pre-eminently  eloquent,  his  sturdy 
frame  and  vigorous  delivery  gave  great  power  to  his  pulpit 
utterances.  Doctor  Ide  did  not  profess  to  excel  as  a  logician 
or  an  orator  ;  he  claimed  rather  to  possess  the  quality  of  a 
poet.  He  loved  to  expand  such  a  topic  as  "The  House  of 
the  Soul,"  the  effect  of  which  depended  on  his  ability  to 
bring  the  imaginations  of  his  hearers  into  sympathy  with  his 
own.  Yet  his  preaching  was  often  intensely  practical  and 
effective.  Doctor  Ide  was  for  fourteen  years  pastor  of  the 
First  Church  in  Philadelphia  (1838  to  1852),  and  from  that 
time  until  his  death  he  was  pastor  of  the  First  Church  in 
Springfield,  Mass.  He  had  previously  held  pastorates  in 
several  places  in  Vermont,  at  the  First  Church  in  Albany, 
and  at  the  Federal  Street  Church  in  Boston.  He  was  every- 
where recognized  as  a  man  of  commanding  personality  and 
of  unusual  power. 

The  appearance  of  WiUiam  Hague  (1808-1887)  indicates 
a  new  note  in  the  Baptist  pulpit  of  the  Northern  States. 
Doctor  Stow  marked  a  transition  stage.  He  had  given 
special  attention  to  literary  style  in  pulpit  discourse.  Fre- 
quently he  wrote  his  sermons  a  second  time.  This  refine- 
ment may  have  detracted  from  the  power  of  his  ministry  in 
his  later  years.  Doctor  Hague  brings  clearly  to  the  front  the 
method  of  structure  that  is  distinctively  hterary.  His  dis- 
courses sparkle  \\'ith  allusion,  quotation,  incident,  select  illus- 
tration. Spontaneous  he  is,  with  much  of  the  fire  of  oratory, 
but  his  hearer  is  not  likely  to  lose  the  sense  that  he  is  listening 
to  a  college-trained  man,  a  man  who  has  breathed  an  atmos- 
phere of  books.  He  shines  as  an  author  in  various  volumes 
and  as  a  contributor  to  the  newspaper  and  the  periodical. 
He  is  in  demand  as  a  preacher  and  platform  orator  at  anni- 
versaries. His  sentences  are  crisp  and  ringing.  His  dehvery 
is  spirited  and  stimulating,  though  somewhat  too  explosive 
and  "jerky."  Such  characteristics  look  toward  compara- 
tively brief  pastorates.      He  is  found  in  nearly  a  dozen  sue- 


380      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

cessive  ministries  to  churches  in  Boston,  Providence,  Albany, 
New  York,  Newark,  N.  J.,  and  other  places.  He  carries 
with  him  to  the  last  the  high  regard  of  the  entire  denomi- 
nation. 

Dr.  E.  L.  Magoon  (1810-1886)  was  one  of  the  best  known 
and  most  popular  of  preachers.  The  son  of  an  architect, 
and  himself  practising  for  a  time  the  art  of  a  bricklayer,  he 
obtained  an  academic  and  theological  education  and  acquired 
great  skill  as  a  rhetorician.  Making  pulpit  oratory  a  careful 
study,  and  possessing  an  unusually  alert  and  elastic  physical 
frame,  with  great  fehcity  in  illustration  and  marked  facihty  in 
the  use  of  sparkling  words,  he  was  always  popular  with  the 
multitude,  and  drew  throngs  wherever  he  preached.  He 
was  a  favorite  speaker  at  anniversary  meetings.  He  held 
successful  pastorates  at  Richmond,  Va. ,  Cincinnati,  New 
York  City,  Albany,  and  Philadelphia.  Through  his  oratorical 
proclivities  and  his  taste  for  the  fine  arts  Doctor  Magoon  was 
brought  into  friendly  relations  with  persons  of  distinction, 
Edwin  Forrest,  the  famous  tragedian,  John  Ruskin,  and 
others. 

The  hne  of  literary  development  which  we  have  been  fol- 
lowing from  Doctor  Stow  onward,  finds  its  consummation  in 
Dr.  William  R.  Williams,  1 804-1 885.  The  son  of  a  Baptist 
minister  who  preached  in  New  York  City,  he  was  baptized  by 
Doctor  Cone.  From  legal  studies  his  purpose  was  turned 
toward  the  ministry,  and  being  ordained  as  pastor  of  the 
Amity  Street  Baptist  Church  in  1832,  he  continued  in  that 
relation  until  his  death.  Seldom  in  the  history  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  has  a  position  as  a  noted  and  influential  minister 
been  attained  by  one  who  had  so  little  vocal  power  as  Doctor 
Williams  possessed.  His  voice  was  so  feeble  that  he  could 
not  easily  be  heard  by  more  than  a  hundred  persons  ;  yet 
such  was  the  refinement  of  his  thought,  the  purity  of  the 
spiritual  atmosphere  in  which  he  hved,  and  the  fascination  of 
his  hterary  style,  that  he  kept  his  position  firmly  and  with 
ever-increasing  hold  upon  his  denomination  and  the  general 
public  for  half  a  century.  A  spectacle  never  to  be  forgotten 
was  that  of  this  scholarly  preacher  dehvering  the  jubilee  ser- 
mon at  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  Missionary  Union  in 
the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Philadelphia  in  1864.  The  vast 
congregation  which  thronged  the  auditorium  remained  in  re- 
spectful silence  throughout,  although  not  more  than  one-third 
of  them  could  distinguish  a  word  that  was  uttered.  They 
seemed  to  be  hushed  by  the  spell  of  his  personality  and  his 
great  name.      Doctor  WiUiams  has  sometimes  been  called  the 


NORTHERN  38 1 

Robert  Hall  of  America.  His  style,  however,  was  less  ora- 
torical than  that  of  the  English  preacher,  and  possessed  more 
of  the  flowing  and  mellifluous  qualities  of  Addison,  or  of  his 
American  successor,  Washington  Irving.  His  sermons  were, 
as  a  rule,  read  from  the  manuscript,  and  they  were  rich  in 
treasures  of  wide  research,  of  hterary  culture,  and  of  spiritual 
light. 

Dr.  Thomas  Armitage  (18 [9-1896)  was  born  in  England. 
He  preached  his  first  sermon  in  a  Methodist  church,  at  the 
age  of  sixteen.  It  led  to  the  conversion  of  three  persons. 
Three  years  later,  in  1858,  having  come  to  this  country  he 
began  a  career  in  the  Methodist  ministry,  in  which  he  achieved 
distinction.  In  1848  he  became  a  Baptist  and  assumed  the 
pastorship  of  the  Norfolk  Street,  afterward  known  as  the  Fifth 
Avenue  Baptist  Church  of  New  York  City,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  hold  until  his  death,  being  made  pastor  emeritus  in 
his  later  years.  Doctor  Armitage' s  pOAver  lay  not  in  any  one 
pre-eminent  quality.  He  was  not  distinctively  an  orator  or 
a  scholar  or  a  literary  artist.  He  was  sufficiently  gifted,  how- 
ever, in  these  several  directions  to  make  his  pulpit  work  always 
interesting  and  effective.  With  a  warm-hearted  and  vigorous 
personality  and  an  art  of  unfolding  scriptural  themes  in  a  sug- 
gestive and  pictorial  manner,  he  maintained  a  strong  grasp 
on  his  hearers.  His  sermons  were  written  and  delivered  from 
manuscript,  but  in  an  easy  manner,  free  from  formality  or 
monotony.  He  was  widely  known  in  New  York  and  through- 
out the  land. 

President  E.  G.  Robinson  (i 815-1894)  was  in  many  re- 
spects the  most  remarkable  preacher  whom  this  paper  con- 
siders. He  was  not  evangelistic  in  method  or  spirit ;  he  was 
not  a  popular  orator.  He  was  rather  in  thought  a  critic,  and 
in  preaching  a  herald  of  God  and  his  law.  Born  in  Massa- 
chusetts there  was  in  the  vigor  of  his  character  a  strong  sug- 
gestion of  New  England  granite  and  of  Puritan  influence. 
Yet  in  his  breadth  of  view,  his  hospitality  toward  all  fresh  and 
vigorous  thinking  and  his  apprehension  of  theology  as  a  pro- 
gressive science,  he  was  far  from  the  likeness  of  an  old  Puri- 
tan divine.  With  his  tall,  lithe  form,  his  large  and  impressive 
features,  his  head  crowned  during  much  of  his  life  with  snow- 
white  hair,  he  was  a  commanding  figure  in  the  pulpit.  Speak- 
ing, except  on  rare  occasions,  entirely  without  notes,  his  style 
was  extremely  concise,  his  diction  was  exceedingly  choice  and 
forcible,  and  his  matter  weighty.  Said  the  noted  orator, 
Frederick  Douglass,  to  this  writer,  commenting  on  a  brief  ad- 
dress made  by  Doctor  Robinson  to  a  popular  audience  in 


382      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

Rochester,  N.  Y. ,  under  the  profound  emotion  occasioned 
by  tidings  of  the  assassination  of  President  Lincohi,  "  He  said 
to  us  just  what  we  wanted  to  hear  in  the  most  fitting  possible 
words."  In  preaching  Doctor  Robinson  began  in  a  slow  and 
measured  style,  with  short,  crisp  sentences,  ere  long  intro- 
ducing some  striking  thought  which  would  fix  attention,  ad- 
vancing his  proposition  and  divisions  in  the  clearest  terms, 
never  indulging  in  rhetorical  embellishment,  sometimes  pro- 
ceeding in  the  calmest  manner  through  a  discourse  rich  in 
thought  and  transparent  in  expression,  sometimes  wrought 
into  a  passion  of  powerful  oratory,  which  met  his  own  favorite 
definition  of  eloquence,  derived  from  Bautain,  "thought  on 
fire,"  he  left  on  the  minds  of  those  who  heard  him  often  the 
impression  that  he  was  a  remarkable  man,  and  in  his  way  in- 
comparable. 

It  is  quite  fitting  that  next  to  this  distinguished  man  should 
come  Dr.  George  Dana  Boardman  (1828-),  for  though  greatly 
differing  in  methods  and  mental  characteristics,  they  moved 
on  the  same  lofty  intellectual  plane.  In  his  younger  days,  at 
Rochester,  Doctor  Boardman' s  preaching  was  highly  rhetor- 
ical. With  easily  flowing  sentences  and  fine  literary  effects, 
emphasized  by  a  dehvery  which  expressed  a  peculiarly  at- 
tractive personality,  he  captivated  his  audiences.  His  finest 
discourses  seemed  models  of  art.  In  entering  upon  his  pas- 
torate of  thirty  years  at  the  First  Church,  in  Philadelphia,  he 
dropped  this  rhetorical  method,  and  chose  a  more  mature 
style,  in  which  elegance  of  expression  was  strictly  subordi- 
nated to  clearness  and  vigor  of  thought.  Adopting  also  a 
theory  that  the  highest  aim  of  pulpit  discourse  should  be  to 
throw  fresh  light  on  some  passage  of  God's  word,  he  became 
unusually  skilled  in  a  high  order  of  expository  preaching. 
Many  of  his  sermons  were  printed  in  pamphlet  form,  present- 
ing models  of  lucid  arrangement,  thoroughness  of  treatment, 
and  striking  expression.  He  gave  to  his  people  a  series  of 
about  500  lectures  on  the  entire  New  Testament,  184  of 
which  dealt  with  the  hfe  of  our  Lord.  He  also  dehvered 
in  a  public  hall  of  Philadelphia,  to  crowded  audiences,  on 
successive  Tuesdays,  fourteen  noonday  lectures  on  "The 
Creative  Week." 

Doctor  Boardman  has  attained  a  wide  celebrity  in  and  be- 
yond his  own  denomination,  and  through  his  refined,  gentle, 
and  manly  nature  has  won  the  affection  and  respect  of  all 
who  know  him.  At  this  date  (1901),  he  is  pastor  emeritus 
of  the  church  which  he  so  efficiently  served  during  three 
decades. 


NORTHERN  383 

Not  far  from  the  ideal  ministerial  life,  as  to  personality,  in- 
fluence, and  truest  success,  was  that  of  A.  J.  Gordon  (1836- 
1894).  Born  and  reared  in  a  village  in  New  Hampshire,  he 
bore  with  him  through  hfe  the  unspoiled  nature  of  his  boy- 
hood, free  from  ambition  and  self-consciousness  and  con- 
tinuously enriched  with  the  ripened  culture  and  the  deep 
spiritual  experiences  of  a  highly  favored  manhood.  Gradu- 
ated from  Brown  University  and  the  Newton  Seminary,  he 
began  his  ministerial  career  with  an  unusual  endowment  of 
literary  finish,  scholarly  taste,  and  high  spiritual  ideals.  His 
two  pastorates,  at  Jamaica  Plain  and  at  the  Clarendon  Street 
Church  in  Boston,  extending  over  periods  of  six  and  twenty- 
five  years,  were  practically  one.  Beginning  with  the  use  of 
the  manuscript,  in  later  years,  with  deepening  earnestness,  he 
adopted  the  extempore  method,  though  with  most  faithful 
preparation,  and  retaining  always  the  rich  results  of  his  early 
careful  literary  training.  A  fervent,  mystical  spirit  dominated 
his  theological  tendencies,  and  accounted  for  what  some 
would  call  his  aberrations.  In  so  copious  a  nature,  however, 
these  eccentricities  were  of  little  moment.  They  may  have 
somewhat  increased  his  intensity.  His  preaching  was  as  the 
flow  of  a  clear  and  full  stream,  spiritual  and  practical  in  thought, 
and  replete  with  suggestions  from  a  wide  range  of  reading.  At 
frequent  intervals  sentences  might  be  expected  which  con- 
densed ripe  results  of  thinking  into  striking  apothegms,  to  be 
written  down  and  treasured.  A  manly  presence,  a  deep  and 
rich  voice,  an  utterly  simple  and  unaffected  manner,  ener- 
getic, yet  with  no  obtrusive  action,  gave  great  power  to  his 
discourse. 

His  ministry  was  largely  fruitful ;  the  church  became  ac- 
tively evangehstic,  it  reached  the  poor,  the  fallen,  the  out- 
cast, it  reclaimed  the  intemperate.  It  wrought  a  glorious 
missionary  work  at  home  and  abroad,  pouring  tens  of  thou- 
sands of  dollars  into  the  mission  treasury.  A  more  signifi- 
cant and  impressive  tribute  could  not  have  been  paid  to  the 
power  of  a  great  and  good  man  than  the  tears  of  more  than 
a  score  of  Chinese  converts  weeping  at  the  bier  of  their 
friend  and  pastor  as  in  the  great  church  they  took  their  last 
look  at  his  silent  form. 

Doctor  Gordon  was  in  large  demand  in  every  direction. 
He  had  a  special  power  over  young  men.  He  wrought  a 
great  work  in  Brown  and  Princeton  Universities  and  in  other 
institutions.  He  was  an  earnest  worker  in  Mr.  Moody's 
meetings  at  Northfield.  In  great  anniversary  meetings 
which  he  attended  in  England,  he  was  called  out  at  every 


384      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

opportunity.  He  had  the  power  of  a  gifted  utterance,  a 
large  mind,  and  a  great  soul,  whose  life  was  hid  with  Christ 
in  God. 

We  have  been  walking  among  princes,  men  of  royal 
quality,  the  peers  of  any  preachers  in  any  land.  We  have 
still  to  note  several  who  may  be  classed  among  the  eminent 
popular  preachers  of  the  century, — popular  indeed  in  the 
best  sense.  We  are  now  among  the  hving,  but  only  those 
are  chosen  whose  work  is  to  be  chiefly  identified  with  the 
century  that  is  past,  and  whose  reputation  is  national  within 
and  without  their  denomination. 

P.  S.  Henson,  d.  d.  (1831-),  is  a  Virginian  by  birth; 
but  his  work  as  a  minister  has  been  wrought  almost  entirely 
in  the  Northern  States.  For  a  short  time  a  student  at  the 
law,  then  for  several  years  a  teacher,  he  became  pastor  of 
the  church  at  Broad  and  Brown  Streets  in  Philadelphia.  In 
1867  he  established  the  Memorial  Church  in  the  same  city, 
remaining  there  as  pastor  until  1882,  since  which  date  he  has 
been  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Chicago. 

Doctor  Henson  had  an  academic,  but  not  a  theological 
education.  Hence  his  preaching  has  not  a  theological  cast. 
Yet  in  doctrine  he  is  soundly  orthodox,  laying  the  foundation 
of  his  teaching  in  the  maxim  that  "  the  upper  story  of  man's 
nature  is  a  death  chamber."  His  preaching,  however,  is 
not,  as  this  saying  might  suggest,  in  the  least  sombre,  but 
rather,  bright  and  buoyant.  Indeed,  his  style  is  much  af- 
fected by  the  abounding  wit  which  sparkles  in  his  private  hfe 
and  his  platform  utterances. 

Doctor  Henson' s  delivery  is  unstudied,  full  of  action,  with 
gestures  not  learned  in  any  school  of  oratory,  and  with  a  sus- 
tained and  vigorous  vocal  power  suggestive  of  untiring 
strength.  There  is  never  in  his  speaking  a  trace  of  languor 
or  of  dullness.  His  manner  is  natural  and  animated.  He 
fills  not  only  the  pulpit  but  the  platform.  The  sparkhng 
brightness  and  the  spontaneous  eloquence  of  his  addresses 
make  them  popular  everywhere.  Doctor  Henson' s  minis- 
terial work  has  abounded  in  evangelical  earnestness  and  has 
been  fruitful  in  the  best  results. 

Dr.  George  C.  Lorimer  was  born  in  1838,  near  Edin- 
burgh. When  about  eighteen  years  of  age  he  came  to  this 
country.  In  the  pursuit  of  his  profession  as  an  actor  he 
drifted  to  Louisville,  Ky. ,  where  he  came  under  the  influence 
of  Rev.  Dr.  W.  W.  Everts,  and  was  converted.  He  de- 
voted a  few  years  to  special  studies,  and  held  several  minor 


NORTHERN  385 

pastorships,  until  called  to  Louisville,  where  he  was  pastor 
for  eight  years.  His  subsequent  career  lay  in  Albany,  Bos- 
ton, and  Chicago.  He  is  now  known  everywhere  as  the  pas- 
tor of  the  Tremont  Temple  Church  in  Boston,  this  being  his 
second  term  of  service  in  that  relation. 

Doctor  Lorimer  is  small  of  stature,  a  fact  which  is  speedily 
forgotten  in  the  sense  of  the  manly  vigor  of  his  personality. 
He  is  an  omnivorous  reader  over  wide  ranges  of  literature, 
and  on  account  of  his  native  cast  of  mind  and  his  marvel- 
ously  retentive  memory,  perhaps  also  because  of  the  practice 
of  carefully  writing,  his  sermons  are  distinctively  literary  in 
tone.  It  has  been  his  custom  to  have  his  manuscript  discourse 
on  his  desk  in  preaching,  although  he  seldom,  if  ever,  refers 
to  it.  The  dramatic  training  of  his  early  years  has  been  of 
great  service  to  him.  It  has  given  him  a  mastery  of  attitude, 
of  effective  movement,  of  vocal  intonation.  Indeed,  his 
pulpit  action  is  a  fine  illustration  of  the  art  that  imitates 
nature.  His  thought  is  simple  in  form  and  popular  in  quality, 
with  frequent  suggestions  of  discriminating  reading.  The 
arrangement  of  his  discourse  also  takes  into  account  the  effect 
of  climax,  and  often  at  the  highest  point  some  felicity  of 
illustration,  or  of  tone,  or  of  mimetic  action,  will  vividly 
flash  upon  the  hearer's  mind  a  sense  of  the  supreme  purpose 
of  the  speaker's  thought. 

With  such  qualities  Doctor  Lorimer  has  been  extremely 
popular  as  a  preacher  wherever  he  has  appeared.  In  the 
great  auditorium  at  Tremont  Temple,  seating  several  thou- 
sand persons,  frequently  every  place  is  filled  before  the  ap- 
pointed time,  and  in  such  instances  it  is  not  unusual  to  have 
the  service  begin  before  the  hour  has  arrived.  Doctor 
Lorimer  is  well  known  in  London,  England,  where  for  several 
seasons  he  has  supplied  pulpits. 

Dr.  Robert  S.  MacArthur  (1841-)  is  notable  for  having 
had  but  one  pastorate  during  his  ministry  of  thirty-one  years, 
and  that  in  the  heart  of  the  great  city  of  New  York,  and  for 
having  advanced  his  church  to  the  front  rank  in  numbers  and 
efficiency.  Doctor  MacArthur  is  Canadian  by  birth,  and,  as 
his  name  indicates,  is  of  Scotch  descent.  He  was  educated 
at  the  University  and  the  Seminary  of  Rochester,  N.  Y. 
When  he  assumed  the  pastorship  of  the  Calvary  Church,  in 
1870,  it  occupied  a  location  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city, 
near  Union  Square,  and  was  in  the  depressed  condition  of  a 
downtown  church.  With  the  coming  of  the  young  pastor 
new  life  began  to  appear  in  its  services,  the  congregations  in- 
creased in  size,  the  finances  improved,  and  a  new  epoch  of 

z 


386      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

prosperity  was  inaugurated.  A  few  years  later  a  large  and 
fine  church  building  was  erected  more  than  twenty  blocks 
northward,  and  here  the  church  has  continued  to  grow  in 
numbers  and  power.  By  the  long  duration  of  his  pastorship, 
the  influence  of  his  church  and  his  facility  as  a  public  speaker, 
Doctor  MacArthur  has  become  widely  known,  and  for  many 
years  has  been  recognized  by  the  public  of  New  York  City 
as  the  most  prominent  Baptist  minister  of  the  metropolis. 
The  pulpit  is  the  minister's  throne.  And  there  has  been 
found  in  this  instance  the  sceptre  that  sways.  New  York  is 
the  city  of  excited  competitions,  strained  nerves,  and  over- 
taxed brains.  It  wants  on  the  Sabbath,  not  metaphysical 
subtleties  or  philosophical  disquisitions,  but  the  simple  mes- 
sage of  God's  word  presented  in  an  attractive  style.  Doctor 
MacArthur  has  something  of  the  Spurgeon  quality  in  the  se- 
lection and  treatment  of  scriptural  themes.  Making  the 
most  of  the  freshness  of  biblical  truth,  and  bringing  it  home 
practically  to  the  consciences  and  moral  insight  of  his  hearers, 
he  becomes  their  spiritual  leader.  With  fresh  illustration 
from  foreign  travel,  or  from  wide  reading,  from  art  and 
science,  or  from  homelier  sources,  he  keeps  the  old  message 
ever  alive  to  the  hearts  and  imaginations  of  his  auditors,  and 
they  walk  beside  the  still  waters  and  into  the  green  pastures. 
Doctor  MacArthur  has  won  the  wholesome  success  of  the 
faithful  and  accomplished  Christian  minister. 

Wayland  Hoyt,  d.  d.  (1838-),  is  well  known  to  the  Baptists 
of  the  Northern  States.  By  his  writings  and  addresses  he  has 
also  become  known  to  other  denominations.  He  is  an  es- 
pecially popular  speaker  at  the  anniversaries  of  the  Christian 
Endeavor  brotherhood.  Doctor  Hoyt  has  held  pastorships  in 
Boston,  New  York,  Brooklyn,  Philadelphia,  Cincinnati,  and 
Minneapohs.  He  excels  in  the  clear  statement  and  in  the 
enforcement  of  Christian  doctrine.  He  is  unusually  abun- 
dant in  illustrations  and  in  unexpected  combinations  of  words. 
He  has  carefully  studied  the  art  of  continual  surprise  in  dis- 
course. His  sermons,  lectures,  and  publications  for  the 
Christian  life  are  especially  interesting  and  helpful.  Short 
and  sturdy  of  stature  and  gifted  with  a  rich  and  vigorous 
voice,  he  has  been  a  very  acceptable  speaker.  With  con- 
siderable histrionic  power  and  a  keen  sense  of  effect  he  has 
held  a  place  for  many  years  as  one  of  our  Baptist  orators. 

One  of  the  striking  characters  of  the  last  third  of  the  cen, 
tury  has  been  Dr.  Justin  D.  Fulton.  He  is  especially  notable 
for  his  nine  years'  service  as  pastor  at  Tremont  Temple,  from 
1863  to  1872.     He  brought  to  Boston  a  much  needed  ele- 


NORTHERN  38/ 

ment,  a  native,  unconventional  force  which  broke  up  the  in- 
crustations  of  respectable  formaHty  in  the  Baptist  cJiurches. 
It  was  the  opinion  of  one  of  our  most  eminent  leaders  that 
he  rendered  in  this  way  an  invaluable  service  and  introduced 
a  new  era  in  Boston.  Dr.  Fulton  showed  great  power  as  an 
evangehst.      His  death  has  occurred  since  this  writing. 

Dr.  Russell  Conwell,  of  Grace  Church  (the  Temple),  in 
Philadelphia,  at  the  opening  of  the  new  century  stands  forth 
as  one  of  the  striking  products  of  the  times.  A  native  orator, 
with  extraordinary  power  over  the  multitude,  he  has  remark- 
able qualifications  as  a  popular  leader.  His  great  church, 
with  its  varied  activities  of  the  institutional  order,  is  per- 
haps as  significant  as  anything  in  the  Baptist  denomination 
of  what  the  twentieth  century  is  to  bring  forth. 

Those  who  remember  Kingman  Nott  will  wish  at  least  a 
paragraph  devoted  to  his  memory.  No  young  minister  of 
the  century  gave  finer  promise  than  he.  For  two  years, 
1857-1859,  he  served  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  New  York, 
as  Doctor  Cone's  successor.  Then  he  came  to  an  untimely 
end,  beloved  of  man  and  of  God. 

In  the  brief  review  of  these  great  names  the  words  "elo- 
quent" and  "eloquence"  may  have  a  misleading  influence 
on  some  young  minister.  A  closer  study  of  these  fives  would 
disclose  the  fact  that  the  best  successes  for  the  true  purpose 
of  the  ministry  have  been  with  those  to  whom  eloquence,  if 
they  possessed  it  at  all,  was  an  incident,  not  an  art  sought  as 
an  absorbing  end.  The  supreme  successes  have  been  won 
by  those  who  had  sharply  defined  thought,  whose  spirits 
glowed  with  the  truth,  and  who  sought  in  every  way  to  bring 
that  truth  home  to  their  hearers.  The  century  has  taught 
that  the  highest  quality  of  style  is  clearness. 

The  survey  of  these  brilhant  names  may  have  satisfied  the 
reader  that  the  Baptist  pulpit  of  the  Northern  States  in  the 
nineteenth  century  did  not  lack  power  and  greatness.  And 
there  may  have  been  observed  a  decided  advance  in  its 
quality  and  style.  The  eminent  preachers  of  the  earlier 
years  were  as  consecrated  and  probably  as  able  as  those  of 
the  last  quarter  of  a  century.  Perhaps  there  was,  in  propor- 
tion, more  of  eloquence  in  that  day  than  in  this,  for  the  older 
eloquence  is  out  of  date.  The  men  of  late  years  have  had 
the  advantages  of  more  extended  vision,  richer  stores  of 
biblical  learning,  ampler  fiterary  culture,  and  wider  fields  of 
usefulness.  Many  a  Baptist  minister  of  to-day,  whose  name 
will  never  shine  among  the  great,  is  doing  a  mightier  work 
than  the  giants  of  the  olden  time.     The  minister's  sphere  to- 


388      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

day  is  grander  than  ever.  With  the  dawn  of  the  new  cen- 
tury let  us  heed  the  Master's  words  :  "  Pray  ye  the  Lord  of 
the  harvest  that  he  send  forth  labourers  into  his  harvest. ' ' 

A.  J,  Sage. 


PART  III 

SOUTHERN 

The  American  pulpit  in  general,  and  no  less  the  American 
Baptist  pulpit  in  particular,  presents  in  the  course  of  its  his- 
tory and  in  its  present  state  a  very  remarkable  variety  as  to 
persons,  quahty,  character,  and  effects.  Anything  hke  gen- 
eral characterization  is  well-nigh  impossible.  We  have  had, 
and  now  have,  all  sorts  of  preachers  and  all  sorts  of  preach- 
ing, good,  bad,  and  indifferent.  But  upon  the  whole  it  is 
well  to  note  the  judicious  words  of  Dr.  Wm.  B.  Sprague  in 
the  introduction  to  the  Baptist  volume  of  his  valuable  "An- 
nals of  the  American  Pulpit "  ;  "  Many  of  the  sketches  con- 
tained in  this  volume  will  show  that  the  Baptists  have  had 
less  credit  as  the  friends  and  patrons  of  learning  than  they 
have  deserved.  Not  a  few  of  their  preachers  have  been 
eminently  accomplished  as  well  as  useful  men,  and  some  who 
have  long  since  passed  away  have  left  enduring  memorials  of 
both  their  scholarship  and  eloquence."  Further  on  Doctor 
Sprague  quotes  the  following  sentence  from  "Baird's  Re- 
ligion in  America"  :  "Although  not  a  third,  perhaps,  of  the 
ministers  of  this  denomination  of  Christians  have  been  edu- 
cated at  colleges  and  theological  seminaries,  it  comprehends 
nevertheless  a  body  of  men  who,  in  point  of  talent,  of  learn- 
ing and  eloquence,  as  well  as  devoted  piety,  have  no  superior 
in  the  country." 

The  history  of  preaching  among  Southern  Baptists  easily 
falls  into  three  obvious  and  clearly  marked  periods  of  varying 
length.  The  first  and  longest  is  that  from  the  opening  of  the 
century  to  the  formation  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention 
in  1845,  when  the  Southern  Baptists  began  their  separate 
missionary  and  organized  history.  This  separation  intensified 
the  already  existing  characteristics  of  Southern  Baptists  as  dis- 
tinguished from  others,  and  had  its  influence  upon  the  pulpit 
as  well  as  upon  other  elements  of  the  denominational  life. 
The  second  periodj  short,  but  intense  and  fruitful,  includes  the 


SOUTHERN  389 

twenty  years  from  the  organization  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention  to  the  close  of  the  Civil  War  in  1865.  The 
third  is  the  time  from  the  beginning  of  the  new  order  of 
things  in  the  South,  at  the  close  of  the  war  to  the  end  of 
the  century,  that  is,  from  1865  to  1900.  In  the  following 
discussion  the  most  important  things  about  preaching  and  the 
characters  of  tlie  leading  preachers  will  be  considered  with 
reference  to  these  periods,  but  it  is  evident  that  some  men 
and  methods  lap  over  from  one  period  into  another.  No 
sharp  dividing  hue  can  ever  be  made  in  the  current  of  his- 
tory, but  for  convenience  of  grouping  and  clearness  of  view 
such  periods  may  help. 

I.    FROM    180I    TO    1845. 

There  were  several  notable  features  in  the  preaching  of 
these  early  days.  One  was  that  a  very  large  number  of  the 
preachers  were  uneducated  men.  They  had  little  opportu- 
nity for  education.  Colleges  and  seminaries  were  not  estab- 
lished or  not  accessible,  and  the  higher  education  was  a 
thing  scarcely  dreamed  of  except  in  a  very  few  cases.  And 
besides  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  education,  it  must  be  also 
acknowledged  that  among  the  people,  and  to  some  extent 
among  the  preachers  themselves,  there  was  prejudice  against 
an  educated  ministry.  The  "hirehng"  ministry  under  the 
Virginian  Estabhshment  had  been  cordially  disliked  among 
the  early  Baptists  of  the  Old  Dominion,  and  the  "Separates" 
of  New  England  had  also  brought  into  the  South  some  preju- 
dices of  the  same  sort.  But  notwithstanding  these  two 
unfavorable  tendencies,  a  respectable  number  of  these  early 
preachers  earnestly  desired,  and  by  faithful  personal  efforts 
obtained  a  considerable  culture.  A  few,  indeed,  were  schol- 
arly and  accompHshed  men. 

Another  striking  characteristic  of  the  preaching  of  the 
times,  throughout  the  whole  period,  and  lasting  even  into 
those  later,  was  the  prominence  and  power  of  rural  preach- 
ing. Prior  to  the  Civil  War  the  South  was  mostly  agricultural, 
and  many  of  its  best  people  Hved,  and  preferred  to  live,  in 
the  country.  There  were  few  cities  of  any  special  size  or  im- 
portance. The  Baptists  had  churches  at  the  opening  of  the 
century  in  Baltimore,  Richmond,  Charleston,  and  Savannah, 
but  the  strength  of  the  denomination  lay  in  the  country 
churches.  And  hence  it  has  happened  that  a  large  number 
of  the  most  distinguished  and  highly  useful  ministers  in  the 
South  have  occupied  country  fields.  We  shall  find  as  we  go 
along  that  not  a  few  of  our  greatest  preachers  have  declined 


390      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

calls  to  cities  and  preferably  remained  in  charge  of  these  rural 
churches.  All  through  our  history  due  acknowledgment  must 
be  given  to  the  self-sacrificing,  earnest,  and  fruitful  labors  of 
many  of  our  uncultured  but  devout  and  useful  brethren.  A 
few  of  the  leading  and  useful  preachers  of  the  denomination 
within  this  period  will  be  selected  for  special  mention.  But 
it  is  evident  that  many  who  are  worthy  of  notice  will  have  to 
be  omitted. 

Perhaps  the  most  prominent  figure  in  the  Southern  Baptist 
pulpit  in  the  year  1801  was  that  of  the  revered  Richard  Fur- 
man,  of  South  Carolina  (i 755-1825).  He  was  at  this  time 
pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Charleston,  having  come 
from  the  country  to  that  post  in  1787.  Doctor  Furman  was 
a  man  of  considerable  attainments,  his  father  having  given 
him  the  best  advantages  then  accessible.  He  was  a  man  of 
forcible  character,  of  gentle  manners,  of  strong  intelligence. 
As  a  preacher  he  had  the  necessary  gifts  for  effective  speech, 
and,  while  not  soaring,  was  forcible,  chaste,  and  moving  in 
his  eloquence.  As  a  denominational  leader  he  stood  in  the 
front  rank.  The  promoter  of  every  good  cause,  it  fell  to 
him  to  be  made  the  first  president  of  the  old  Triennial  Con- 
vention, which  was  established  in  18 14.  Of  him  Doctor 
Newman  says:  "Furman  became  pastor  of  the  Charleston 
church  in  1787,  and  was,  from  this  time  till  his  death  in 
1826,  easily  the  foremost  Baptist  of  the  South  and  un- 
surpassed in  denominational  influence  by  any  Baptist  of 
America."  The  influence  of  Doctor  Furman  has  always 
remained  among  South  Carolina  Baptists  one  of  their  price- 
less heritages.  In  the  person  of  his  distinguished  and  worthy 
son,  Dr.  James  C.  Furman,  of  blessed  memory,  that  influ- 
ence was  prolonged  in  direct  line  nearly  through  the  century. 

Along  with  Furman  should  be  mentioned  Henry  Hol- 
combe  (i 762-1824),  pastor  at  the  opening  of  the  century 
of  the  Baptist  church  in  Savannah,  Ga. ,  but  ending  his 
career  in  Philadelphia  later.  Born  in  Virginia,  brought  up 
in  South  Carolina,  chiefly  active  in  Georgia,  Holcombe  be- 
longs to  the  whole  South.  He  was  a  man  of  tremendous 
force  of  character — progressive,  large-minded,  courageous, 
great  as  a  leader,  and  with  marked  gifts  of  oratory  in  the 
pulpit.      His  work  in  Georgia  has  been  of  abiding  value. 

Next,  it  is  natural  to  speak  in  this  connection  of  Jesse 
Mercer  (i 769-1841).  Though  he  lived  longer  than  the  two 
previously  named,  his  earnest  co-operation  with  Holcombe 
and  his  work  in  building  up  the  educational  enterprises  of 
Georgia   Baptists   makes   it    proper    to    mention   him  here. 


SOUTHERN  391 

Born  in  North  Carolina,  he  spent  his  life  chiefly  in  Georgia 
as  pastor  of  country  churches  in  Wilkes  and  Oglethorpe 
counties  until  1828,  when  he  moved  to  the  town  of  Wash- 
ington, and  was  pastor  there  till  the  end  of  his  life.  He  was 
the  successful  and  earnest  promoter  of  Baptist  progress  in  his 
State.  Organization,  education,  missions,  all  received  his 
care,  and  Mercer  University  fitly  perpetuates  his  name.  As 
a  preacher  he  was  original  and  forceful,  rather  than  elegant, 
pleasing,  or  moving. 

Coming  back  to  Virginia,  we  find  that  the  great  name  in 
the  early  days  of  the  century  among  the  preachers  was  that 
of  Andrew  Broaddus  (i 770-1848).  Caroline  County,  Vir- 
ginia, was  the  scene  of  his  birth,  activity,  and  death.  For  a 
brief  period  he  served  reluctantly  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Richmond,  and  declined  overtures  from  leading  churches 
in  Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  Baltimore,  to  con- 
secrate his  energies  to  the  country  field,  where  he  had  been 
brought  up.  He  preferred  his  native  air.  He  was  a  shrink- 
ing and  timid  man,  not  gifted  in  leadership.  He  was  en- 
dowed with  the  artistic  temperament,  and  might  have  been 
a  painter  or  poet  had  he  chosen  those  Hues  of  work.  But  he 
was  pre-eminently  a  pulpit  orator,  his  reading  and  culture 
were  ample,  and  as  an  expositor  of  the  Bible  he  was  skillful  and 
earnest.  He  was  favored  with  a  sonorous  voice,  a  mild  and 
beaming  eye,  and  possessed  an  appropriate  gesticulation  and 
manner.  He  excelled  in  pathos  and  in  that  moving  eloquence 
which  held  the  hearer  enraptured  and  left  him  warmed  and 
stirred  with  the  purest  sentiments. 

A  word  should  also  be  given  here  to  Robert  Baylor  Semple 
(i  769-1831).  He  was  through  life  a  co-laborer  with  An- 
drew Broaddus,  living  in  a  neighboring  county,  and  for  years 
pastor  of  the  famous  old  Bruington  Church,  in  King  and 
Queen  County.  He  did  not  possess  striking  oratorical  gifts, 
but  was  earnest,  faithful,  and  persuasive  as  a  preacher.  Un- 
like Broaddus,  he  was  born  for  leadership,  and  used  it  to  his 
Master's  glory.  He  is  best  known  as  the  historian  of  the 
Virginia  Baptists. 

We  cannot  leave  the  Old  Dominion  without  mention  of 
the  fervid  and  impassioned  John  Kerr  (i 782-1842).  Born 
and  brought  up  in  North  Carolina,  after  some  earlier  services 
he  became  pastor  of  the  First  Church  in  Richmond.  He  was 
a  marvelous  orator  of  the  pathetic  and  imaginative  type.  He 
was  not  a  great  scholar,  nor  a  profound  student  of  Scripture, 
but  had  that  nameless  quality  of  possessing  and  mastering  his 
audiences.      He  was  at  his  best  at  some  Baptist  Association 


392      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

in  the  country,  in  the  open  air,  where  for  hours  he  held 
people  spellbound  under  his  moving  appeals. 

Of  a  different  type  was  W.  T.  Brantly,  Sr.  (i 787-1845), 
born  in  North  Carolina,  the  son  of  a  farmer  and  of  a  devoted 
Christian  mother.  He  was  sent  to  South  Carolina  College, 
then  under  the  presidency  of  the  eloquent  and  memorable 
Jonathan  Maxcy,  where  he  graduated  with  distinction  in 
1808.  It  is  worth  noting  that  his  college  expenses  were 
paid  in  large  part  by  an  education  society  of  the  Charleston 
Association.  Doctor  Brantly  was  very  cultured  ;  was  pastor 
in  Beaufort,  S.  C. ,  eight  years;  then  in  Augusta,  Ga. ;  then 
in  Philadelphia  ;  and  later  in  Charleston,  where  he  also  was 
president  of  the  Charleston  College.  He  was  a  man  of 
admirable  gifts  and  cultivation,  much  beloved  as  pastor,  and 
very  even  and  effective  as  a  preacher.  His  name  and  quali- 
ties were  brought  over  into  our  own  times  by  his  cultivated, 
courteous,  and  pious  son,  WiUiam  T.  Brantly,  Jr.,  of  blessed 
memory,  who  died  as  the  sucessor  of  Fuller  in  the  pastorate 
of  the  Seventh  Church  in  Baltimore.  Another  son,  John  J. 
Brantly,  was  for  many  years  the  accomplished  professor  of 
Enghsh  Hterature  in  Mercer  University. 

Among  the  earlier  Georgia  preachers,  mention  should  be 
made  of  Abraham  Marshall  (i 748-1819),  son  of  Daniel 
Marshall,  the  famous  pioneer  evangelist.  He  was  born  in 
Connecticut,  but  was  chiefly  active  in  Georgia.  His  father 
had  established  the  Kiokee  Church,  in  Columbus  County, 
Ga.,  and  served  it  as  pastor  until  his  death,  when  he  was 
succeeded  by  his  son,  who  also  retained  the  pastorate  until 
his  own  death.  Abraham  Marshall  was  not  educated  in  the 
schools,  but  was  a  natural  orator,  with  a  clear  and  "bugle- 
like" voice.  He  was  mighty  in  the  Scriptures,  a  faithful 
pastor,  and  wise  in  winning  souls. 

Among  the  pioneer  preachers  in  Kentucky,  two  names 
must  be  mentioned,  and  others  are  worthy  of  it.  Ambrose 
Dudley  (1750-1823),  was  born  in  Virginia,  but  in  1801  he 
was  living  at  Bryan's  Station,  Ky. ,  pastor  of  the  church  of 
that  name,  and  of  others  in  the  neighborhood.  His  labors 
were  principally  in  the  Elkhorn  Association.  He  was  very  use- 
ful and  greatly  beloved.  Dr.  J.  E.  Welch  says  of  him  :  "Asa 
preacher,  he  was  zealous,  dignified,  and  solemn.  No  one 
who  heard  him  could  doubt  that  he  was  deeply  impressed 
with  the  truths  which  he  delivered,  and  that  the  great  object 
at  which  he  constantly  aimed  was  not  to  gain  the  applause 
of  his  hearers,  but  to  save  their  souls. ' ' 

The  other,  a  typical  pioneer  preacher,  was  Jeremiah  Var- 


SOUTHERN  393 

deman  (i 775-1842).  He  was  of  Swedish  ancestry,  born  in 
Wythe  County,  Va. ,  but  his  father  early  moved  to  Lincohi 
County,  Ky.  His  parents  were  pious.  He  was  converted  in 
1792,  but  fell  into  worldly  ways,  following  the  youth  of  his 
time,  and  was  excluded  from  the  church  for  dancing  and  fid- 
dhng.  He  was  re-awakened  about  1799,  and  at  the  same 
time  his  wife  was  converted.  He  was  restored  to  the  church, 
and  soon  began  to  preach,  being  ordained  in  1801.  Without 
education,  but  mighty  in  the  one  Book,  powerful  in  exhorta- 
tion, blameless  in  life,  and  wholly  intent  on  serving  his  Lord 
and  saving  the  souls  of  his  fellow-men,  he  was  blessed  with  a 
fruitful  ministry.  In  central  Kentucky,  where  he  chiefly 
labored  for  a  long  time,  the  fruits  of  his  ministry  were  ample. 
Many  were  added  to  the  churches,  and  new  churches  were 
formed.  In  18 16  he  held  a  meeting  in  Louisville,  wherein 
many  were  converted,  and  the  foundations  for  Baptist  growth 
laid  in  that  city.  In  1820  he  did  a  similar  work  in  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.  There  were  only  three  Baptists  there  when  he 
began  to  preach,  and  they  belonged  to  Mill  Creek  Church  in  the 
country,  but  several  months  later  in  that  year  a  church  was 
formed  which  soon  grew  to  about  150  in  number.  In  Cin- 
cinnati, also,  meetings  were  held,  and  great  results  followed. 
About  1830  this  noble  old  pioneer  moved  to  Missouri,  and 
was  greatly  useful  in  laying  the  foundations  and  building  up 
churches  in  that  territory.  He  had  great  natural  gifts,  was 
quite  an  orator,  deeply  in  earnest,  with  a  fine  presence  and 
voice.      Thousands  of  persons  were  baptized  by  him. 

Among  the  Tennessee  preachers,  mention  should  be  made 
of  James  Whitsitt  (1771-1849),  the  grandfather  of  Dr.  Wil- 
liam H.  Whitsitt.  He  moved  to  Tennessee  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  last  century,  from  Virginia,  and  was  the  successful  and 
useful  pastor  for  many  years  of  the  Mill  Creek  Church,  near 
Nashville.  He  was  a  man  of  striking  gifts  and  ways,  and  was 
a  trusted  leader  in  denominational  life  and  work. 

Two  who  were  distinguished  for  leadership  rather  than 
preaching  gifts,  should  be  mentioned  among  the  fathers  in 
North  Carolina.  Both  were  Northern  men  by  birth,  but  their 
names  are  inseparably  associated  with  the  educational  and 
missionary  development  of  North  Carohna.  These  were 
Samuel  Wait  (i 789-1867),  pastor  in  Newbern  for  a  while, 
but  especially  noted  as  the  first  president  of  Wake  Forest 
College,  and  Thomas  Meredith  (i 797-1851),  also  pastor  at 
Newbern,  but  the  founder  and  editor  of  what  is  now  known 
as  the  ' '  Bibhcal  Recorder. ' '  These  two  men  were  greatly 
useful  in  the  Old  North  State. 


394      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

During  the  middle  and  toward  the  close  of  this  early  period 
younger  men  of  vigor  and  power  were  growing  up.  These 
were  building  upon  the  foundations  of  the  pioneers  in  all  the 
Southern  States,  and  carrying  forward  with  strength  the  work 
of  their  fathers.  Prominent  among  these  younger  men  was 
Jeremiah  Bell  Jeter  (1802-1880).  Born  and  reared  amid  the 
mountains  of  Bedford  County,  Va. ,  without  the  advantage  of 
early  education,  his  strong  and  vigorous  nature,  indomitable 
pluck,  and  admirable  native  gifts,  made  him  a  marked  man 
through  all  his  long  life.  In  1845  he  was  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  at  Richmond,  after  having  had  a  ministry  of 
distinguished  success  in  the  country,  in  the  "Northern 
Neck"  of  Virginia,  between  the  Rappahannock  and  Potomac 
rivers.  At  this  time  Doctor  Jeter  was  in  the  first  vigor  of 
his  manhood.  He  had  some  drawbacks  as  a  preacher.  His 
voice  was  unpleasant,  being  pitched  on  a  high  key,  and  he 
was  not  an  orator,  but  his  preaching  was  sensible,  direct, 
scriptural,  and  faithful.  His  gift  was  leadership.  He  was 
wise  in  counsel,  fearless  in  championship,  and  persevering  in 
endeavor.  He  was  one  of  the  leaders  in  forming  the  South- 
ern Baptist  Convention,  having  been  made  famous  for  his 
speech,  or  rather,  his  effort  to  get  the  floor,  at  the  last  stormy 
meeting  of  the  Triennial  Convention.  In  later  life,  as  pastor 
of  the  Grace  Street  Church,  in  Richmond,  and  in  his  old  age 
as  editor  of  the  ' '  Rehgious  Herald,"  his  activity  and  influence 
lasted  into  both  the  periods  that  foflow  ;  but  it  has  seemed 
best  to  mention  him  now,  as  at  the  close  of  this  first  period 
he  was  prominent,  both  as  pastor  and  leader. 

This  comparatively  long  period  was  for  our  denomination 
in  the  South  one  of  foundations  and  growth.  Great  and 
good  preachers  molded  the  course  of  its  history,  and  left  their 
impress  upon  Baptist  institutions  and  Baptist  churches  through- 
out all  the  Southern  States.  No  man  can  estimate  the  value 
and  the  enduring  fruitage  of  these  years  of  faithful  ministerial 
labor  on  the  part  of  our  fathers  and  grandfathers. 

II.    FROM   1845  TO  1865. 

It  was  a  gathering  of  noble  men  who  assembled  in  Augusta, 
Ga. ,  May,  1845,  to  organize  the  Southern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion. A  new  force  in  the  religious  life  of  the  century  was 
there  set  in  motion.  During  the  two  decades  following,  the 
preaching  of  Southern  Baptists  takes  on  some  influences 
from  the  stirring  times.  It  is  a  virile  ministry,  full  of  large 
hope  and  strenuous  endeavor,  that  meets  us  in  these  days. 
There  is  yet  great  variety  as  to  advantages,  location,  culture, 


SOUTHERN  395 

and  power.  In  some  places  opposition  to  missions  and  edu- 
cation still  shows  itself,  but  the  progressive  forces  of  the  de- 
nomination are  triumphant,  and  there  is  a  forward  march  in 
all  hnes  of  denominational  life  through  this  tense  period. 
There  is  conservatism,  but  vigor  and  energy.  There  is  pa- 
triotism as  Southerners  understood  it — devotion  to  State  and 
section.  There  is  fullness  of  power,  force  of  character,  con- 
sciousness of  strength,  dignity,  popular  respect,  and  above 
all,  deep-toned  piety.  It  was  a  period  of  great  preaching 
among  the  Baptists  of  the  South. 

While  there  was  more  tendency  toward  the  life  of  cities, 
the  rural  element  was  still  observably  strong  and  prominent. 
There  was  great  enthusiasm  in  the  missionary  cause — the  es- 
tablishment of  missions  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention 
at  home  and  abroad.  There  was  abundant  energy  devoted 
to  education,  both  general  and  theological.  In  the  great 
heart  and  brain  of  James  P.  Boyce  the  Southern  Baptist 
Theological  Seminary  finds  birth,  and  many  earnest  co-labor- 
ers with  him,  after  years  of  earnest  thought,  succeed  in  get- 
ting that  institution  estabhshed.  The  founding  of  the  semi- 
nary is  a  distinct  advance  in  theological  education  and  minis- 
terial efficiency  within  the  bounds  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention.  Never  was  a  people  and  denomination  at  a 
fairer  and  more  hopeful  stage  of  their  progress  than  were 
Southern  Baptists,  when,  in  1861,  the  storm  of  civil  war  fell 
upon  our  country.  Then  for  four  years  sectional  politics 
found  their  culmination.  Passion  and  strife  prevailed,  and 
the  cause  of  religion  necessarily  languished.  Yet  in  this  dark 
time  the  preachers  stood  to  their  posts  at  home,  encouraged 
the  people,  set  the  example  of  self-sacrifice,  buried  the  dead 
and  comforted  the  bereaved,  and  even  amid  these  desolating 
times  conducted  many  glorious  revivals  of  religion.  In  the 
Southern  camps  the  earnest  chaplains  labored  and  prayed  and 
fought  with  the  Confederate  soldiers,  and  thousands  of  noble 
men  were  converted  to  God  amid  those  distressing  scenes. 
Some  of  the  greatest  preaching  that  Southern  Baptist  preach- 
ers ever  did  was  done  in  camp.  Distinguished  among  these, 
as  everywhere,  was  our  peerless  John  A.  Broadus.  It  is  a 
strange  and  mingled  record  of  war  and  demoralization  where 
yet  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  had  such  a  place. 

During  this  flourishing  period  which  ended  so  disastrously 
in  the  Avar,  there  were  too  many  great  and  good  men  for  long 
discussion.  It  was  in  some  respects  the  flourishing  period  of 
the  Southern  Baptist  ministry.  Some  of  its  most  distinguished 
representatives  were  then  in  the  prime  of  their  powers,  and 


396      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

Others  in  the  promise  of  a  vigorous  youth.  Confessedly  the 
leading  figure  among  them  all  was  that  prince  of  pulpit  orators 
and  kingliest  of  men,  Richard  Fuller.  Born  in  Beaufort,  S. 
C. ,  in  1804,  of  a  cultured  parentage,  he  enjoyed  the  advan- 
tages of  the  best  education  and  most  cultured  society  of  that 
place  and  time.  He  was  graduated  with  distinction  at  Har- 
vard University,  and  began  the  practice  of  law  in  his  native 
town,  with  the  highest  prospects  of  success.  For  several 
years  he  excelled  in  his  chosen  profession,  but  God  had  higher 
things  in  store  for  him.  He  was  converted,  baptized,  or- 
dained to  the  ministry,  and  called  to  the  church  in  his  native 
town.  Here  among  his  kindred,  companions,  and  slaves  he 
preached  with  rare  and  commanding  eloquence  the  simple 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  won  many  converts  to  his  Lord. 
He  also  conducted  protracted  meetings  in  different  parts  of 
the  country,  one  of  the  most  notable  of  these  being  at  the 
First  Baptist  Church  in  Charleston.  This  was  in  1846,  and 
at  this  time  James  P.  Boyce,  H.  A.  Tupper,  and  B.  C.  Press- 
ley  were  brought  into  the  church.  In  1841,  at  a  meeting  of 
the  Triennial  Convention  in  Baltimore,  he  had  preached  his 
famous  sermon  on  the  power  of  the  Cross, — one  of  the  great 
sermons  of  history, — and  had  won  imperishable  fame  as  a 
preacher.  This  led  to  his  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Seventh 
Baptist  Church  in  that  city,  which  he  accepted  in  1847,  and 
from  then  on  to  the  end  of  his  life  he  was  pastor  in  Baltimore, 
of  the  Seventh,  and  later  of  the  Eutaw  Place  Church.  Doctor 
Fuller  was  singularly  gifted  for  the  great  work  of  preaching. 
He  had  a  commanding  presence,  a  noble  voice,  an  imperial 
imagination,  a  liberal  culture,  a  great,  warm-hearted,  gen- 
erous nature,  a  courage  as  true  as  steel,  the  instincts  of  a 
gentleman,  and  the  piety  of  a  true  Christian.  His  pubhshed 
sermons  indicate  all  these  excellences,  but  no  printed  page 
can  ever  convey  any  worthy  notion  of  his  majestic  power  over 
his  audiences.  In  all  essential  respects  he  was  one  of  the 
greatest  preachers  who  have  ever  spoken  on  American  soil. 

Along  with  Fuller  in  Baltimore  must  be  mentioned  the 
genial  John  W.  M.  Williams,  who  for  more  than  half  a  cen- 
tury was  the  beloved  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
that  city,  delighting  in  the  sobriquet  of  "the  Old  Shep- 
herd." 

In  Virginia,  Jeter  was  now  at  the  Grace  Street  Church, 
and  the  beloved  and  eloquent  J.  L.  Burrows  ministered  at 
the  First.  Doctor  Burrows'  useful  hfe  was  spared  far  into 
the  last  period,  but  he  comes  to  be  mentioned  here,  because 
he  was  then  at  the  height  of  his  powers  and  usefulness.     For 


SOUTHERN  397 

twenty  years  he  was  pastor  of  this  historical  old  church. 
Noble-hearted,  generous,  genial  in  his  bearing  toward  his 
brethren,  wise  and  sympathetic  in  the  pastoral  relation,  de- 
vout, well-read,  sometimes  soaring  in  his  pulpit  work,  he  was 
an  excellent  and  faithful  preacher  of  the  gospel.  His  name 
and  fame  are  well  perpetuated  in  the  character  and  work  of 
his  gifted  son,  Lansing  Burrows,  at  this  time  pastor  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  in  Nashville,  Tenn. 

In  Virginia  also  were  the  magnetic  Poindexter,  now  doing 
agency  work,  and  an  eloquent  platform  speaker  and  pleader  ; 
the  saintly  James  B.  Taylor,  rehnquishing  the  pastorate  of 
the  Second  Baptist  Church  of  Richmond,  to  become  the  first 
and  greatly  beloved  secretary  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention  ;  in  the  country,  still  prolific  of 
great  and  good  men,  were  Daniel  Witt,  Cornehus  Tyree,  and 
Barnet  Grimsley,  all  great  and  useful  preachers  ;  while  at 
Charlottesville  was  the  young  and  already  promising  John 
Albert  Broadus. 

In  North  Carolina,  we  find  one  of  the  most  cultivated 
scholars  of  the  age,  and  at  the  same  time  gifted  Baptist  min- 
ister, in  the  distinguished  professor,  writer,  and  preacher, 
William  Hooper.  As  president  of  Wake  Forest  College  dur- 
ing this  time  there  is  the  beloved,  sweet-spirited,  persuasive 
W.  M.  Wingate.  At  Wilmington,  building  the  noble  edifice 
of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  is  the  diligent,  greatly  beloved, 
and  winsome  John  Lamb  Pritchard,  who  fell  a  victim  to  the 
yellow  fever  during  the  Civil  War. 

Going  down  into  the  Palmetto  State,  we  find  in  Charles- 
ton— part  of  the  time  at  the  First  Church,  part  of  the  time 
at  the  Citadel  Square — the  scholarly,  literary,  but  devoted 
and  eloquent  J.  R.  Kendrick.  At  the  Wentworth  Street 
Baptist  Church,  and  afterward  at  the  Citadel  Square,  when 
those  two  were  consolidated,  the  pastorate  was  held  by  Edwin 
Theodore  Winkler.  Born  in  Savannah,  and  having  received 
an  excellent  education,  he  became  one  of  the  most  widely 
read  and  scholarly  of  all  our  Southern  Baptist  preachers.  As 
a  pastor  he  was  much  beloved  and  faithful  in  his  work.  But 
the  pulpit  was  his  throne.  Master  of  a  chaste,  ornate,  and 
fervid  style,  glowing  with  the  love  of  God  and  of  souls,  he 
was  a  superb  preacher.  He  afterward  moved  to  Marion, 
Ala.,  where  for  a  number  of  years  he  was  pastor  before  his 
death,  about  1884. 

In  Greenville,  for  a  large  part  of  this  time.  Dr.  Richard 
Furman,  grandson  of  the  famous  preacher  of  that  name  in 
the  earlier  time,  was  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church,  while  his 


398      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

uncle,  James  Clement  Furman,  was  president  of  the  univer- 
sity named  for  his  father.  Both  uncle  and  nephew  were  men 
of  liberal  culture,  admirable  mental  and  pulpit  powers,  and 
of  sweet  and  unblemished  character.  The  name  of  Furman 
is  a  benediction  in  South  Carohna  to  this  day.  Among  the 
country  preachers  in  that  State,  mention  must  be  made  of 
the  sturdy,  long-lived,  powerful  John  G.  Landrum,  of  Spar- 
tanburg County.  Before  a  country  congregation  he  was  a 
powerful  pleader  for  the  Cross  ;  hundreds  were  baptized  by 
him,  and  his  name  abides  in  the  upper  part  of  the  State  as 
one  of  the  most  useful  and  noblest  of  men.  And  perhaps 
fihal  love  may  be  pardoned  for  naming  here  John  O.  B. 
Dargan,  for  forty  years  pastor  of  the  Black  Creek  Church  in 
Darlington  County,  but  known  and  useful  throughout  the 
State  as  a  helper  in  revival  meetings,  and  for  part  of  the  time 
as  secretary  of  State  missions  after  the  war. 

Among  Georgia  Baptist  ministers,  there  are  many  dis- 
tinguished names  which  invite  extended  notice,  but  which 
must  be  dismissed  with  brief  mention.  There  was  Charles 
D.  Mallary,  born  in  the  North,  but  identified  with  Georgia 
from  young  manhood — pious,  winsome,  gifted  with  pen  and 
tongue,  a  preacher  of  uncommon  ability.  There  was  also 
N.  M.  Crawford,  son  of  the  famous  senator  and  secretary, 
William  H.  Crawford.  He  was  highly  cultivated,  had  en- 
joyed the  advantages  of  Washington  during  his  father's 
public  service  there,  a  gifted  man  of  letters,  president  of 
different  colleges,  pastor  of  churches  in  city  and  country, 
he  consecrated  his  highest  gifts  to  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel. 

Crossing  over  into  Alabama,  we  find  as  president  of  the 
State  University,  Basil  Manly,  Sr.  He  was  born  in  North 
Carolina,  pastor  twice  of  different  churches  in  Charleston, 
S.  C,  but  at  the  beginning  of  this  period  occupying  the  posi- 
tion already  mentioned.  Doctor  Manly  was  one  of  the 
noblest  men  that  God  ever  gave  to  Southern  Baptists.  Wis- 
dom and  goodness,  along  with  uncommon  pulpit  and  pas- 
toral talents,  marked  him  as  one  of  the  best  preachers  among 
his  brethren.  Even  yet  the  older  people  in  Charleston  re- 
member his  ministry  with  a  warm  affection.  And  he  too, 
hke  others  already  named,  has  lived  long  in  the  pure  hves 
and  consecrated  talents  of  his  sons,  Basil,  Jr. ,  long  time  pro- 
fessor in  the  seminary,  and  Charles,  pastor  and  college  pres- 
ident in  Tennessee,  South  CaroHna,  Virginia,  and  Missouri. 
We  also  here  find  the  tall,  vigorous  Samuel  Henderson, 
worthily  honored  among  his  brethren  as  preacher  and  coun- 


SOUTHERN  399 

selor.  There  was  also  William  H.  Mcintosh,  long  pastor  at 
Marion  and  afterward  secretary  of  the  Home  Mission  Board ; 
while  at  Montgomery,  the  capital,  before  and  after  the  war, 
then  in  the  splendid  vigor  of  his  early  manhood,  was  he  whom 
we  now  love  to  recognize  as  the  "old  man  eloquent,"  I.  T. 
Tichenor. 

Mississippi  presents  us  with  a  brother  of  Northern  birth 
who  devoted  his  life  to  building  up  the  country  churches  of 
his  adopted  State,  and  has  given  to  the  later  time  two  worthy 
sons.  This  was  the  beloved  and  useful  E.  C.  Eager,  the 
father  of  George  B.  and  John  H.,  well-known  in  our  own  days. 
Along  with  him  must  be  named  another  Northern  man,  Wal- 
ter Hillman,  though  he  was  more  identified  with  the  cause 
of  education.  There  were  also  other  excellent  leaders  and 
preachers  in  that  State,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned 
Lomax,  Whitfield,  Freeman,  Hackett,  and  others  who  must 
be  passed  by. 

In  Louisiana,  Dr.  F.  Courtney,  a  physician  but  also  a 
preacher,  was  doing  admirable  work,  having  brought  with 
him  from  Virginia  the  teachings  of  the  fathers  there.  He 
was  ably  helped  by  Hartsfield  and  others,  whose  records  are 
on  high. 

Over  in  Texas,  building  on  the  foundations  of  Morrell, 
Baylor,  and  others,  we  find  the  nobly  eloquent  and  highly 
useful,  both  as  pastor  and  educator,  Rufus  C.  Burleson  ; 
likewise  William  Carey  Crane,  the  scholar  and  educator; 
and  J.  W.  D.  Creath,  the  pioneer  and  church  builder. 

In  Missouri,  the  beginnings  of  the  work  were  made  by  J. 
M.  Peck,  J.  E.  Welch,  and  Jeremiah  Vardeman  in  the  for- 
mer period.  Within  the  period  we  are  now  discussing  there 
was  a  number  of  useful  preachers,  among  whom  special 
mention  should  be  made  of  A.  P.  Williams,  H.  W.  Dodge, 
A.  H.  Burhngham,  and  John  Hill  Luther. 

In  Tennessee,  R.  B.  C.  Howell  held  two  pastorates  at  the 
First  Church  in  Nashville,  having  been  at  the  Second  Church 
in  Richmond,  Va.,  in  the  interval.      Doctor  Howell  was  one 

of   the   formative   forces  in  the  Baptist  life  of  Tennessee 

scholarly,  logical,  and  weighty  as  a  preacher.  Here  also  was 
his  opponent  on  many  points  of  Baptist  doctrine  and  prac- 
tice, the  distinguished  J.  R.  Graves.  Doctor  Graves'  largest 
influence,  perhaps,  belonged  in  the  next  period,  after  the 
war,  but  he  was  at  this  time  in  the  prime  of  his  powers  as  a 
preacher.  Known  as  a  great  and  sometimes  bitter  contro- 
versialist and  editor,  his  just  merits  as  a  preacher  of  wonder- 
ful abihty  are  not  so  commonly  recognized. 


400      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

In  Kentucky,  the  venerable  William  Vaughan,  belonging 
largely  to  the  previous  period,  is  still  exercising  his  accepta- 
ble and  useful  ministry,  now  at  Bloomfield.  At  Bowling 
Green,  in  the  full  success  of  a  twenty  years'  pastorate,  was  J. 
M.  Pendleton,  in  his  later  years  pastor  at  Upland,  Pa.,  and 
widely  known  as  an  author  on  Baptist  doctrines.  For  a  brief 
period  during  the  war  the  Walnut  Street  Baptist  Church,  of 
Louisville,  enjoyed  the  ministrations  of  the  famous,  learned, 
and  eloquent  George  C.  Lorimer. 

III.   FROM   1865  TO  1900. 

The  end  of  civil  strife  found  a  sad  and  desolate  South. 
No  braver  spectacle  is  seen  in  history  than  the  way  in  which 
the  Southern  people  took  up  the  burden  of  a  life  marred  by 
failure  and  needing  to  be  adjusted  to  new  social  conditions. 
The  part  which  the  preachers  played  at  this  time  was  no  in- 
significant one.  Amid  the  demorahzation  and  wreck  that 
followed  the  war  their  work  was  one  vastly  needed  and 
vastly  useful.  Through  this  period  we  meet  with  three 
kinds  of  preachers  among  all  the  denominations  as  well  as 
among  the  Baptists.  First,  there  were  those  whose  life  and 
activities  belonged  to  the  old  state  of  things,  who  tried,  how- 
ever, with  earnestness  and  faith  to  adapt  themselves  to  the 
new  order.  One  after  another  they  passed  away,  but  some 
still  linger  with  us.  Brave,  true,  noble  old  men,  how  much 
we  owe  you,  how  much  we  honor  you  !  Then  there  were 
those,  many  of  them  returning  soldiers,  of  the  younger  sort, 
whose  young  manhood  had  been  tested  on  the  battlefield 
and  inured  to  hardship  through  four  years  of  tremendous 
strife.  Seasoned  and  yet  battered,  they  came  home  to  begin 
a  new  era,  with  no  delusions,  standing  midway  between  a 
wrecked  past  and  a  dubious  future.  Their  education  had 
been  interrupted  by  the  war.  A  few  went  back  to  school ; 
some  took  up  the  work  at  once.  In  towns,  but  mostly  in 
the  country,  from  Maryland  to  Texas,  these  soldier  preachers 
have  been  holding  fast  the  things  that  remain  in  our  worn 
and  wearied  South.  The  third  class  is  the  new  generation, 
brought  up  amid  the  changed  conditions,  with  here  and 
there  one  whose  boyish  memories  dimly  recall  the  days  of 
war  and  reconstruction,  but  whose  maturing  life  is  in  the 
New  South.  Educational  methods  are  improved,  colleges 
and  the  theological  seminary  reopened  and  better  equipped  ; 
the  tendency  to  town  life  is  increased  and  emphasized,  but 
even  yet  the  rural  life  is  strong  and  influential.  These  young 
men  enter  and  hold  a  time  pulsing  with  great  movements, 


SOUTHERN  401 

bright  with  attractive  outlooks.  They  too,  the  grandsons 
and  sons  of  a  mighty  past,  are  a  vigorous  and  hopeful  min- 
istry. All  these  are  the  men  of  the  writer's  own  time,  and, 
as  their  names  and  the  faces  of  many  of  them  crowd  bewil- 
deringly  upon  him,  how  can  he  select  from  among  his  older 
brethren,  his  mates,  and  his  younger  brothers,  those  whose 
characters  and  successes  he  would  delight  lovingly  to  sketch  ? 
Only  a  few  of  the  representative  may  be  chosen  for  special 
mention,  and  these  not  all  of  equal  fame  or  powers. 

The  name  which  comes  first  when  we  think  of  the  great 
preachers  of  this  period  is  that  of  John  Albert  Broadus. 
Born  of  good  Virginian  ancestry,  brought  up  amid  refine- 
ment and  culture,  educated  at  the  University  of  Virginia 
under  Gessner  Harrison,  pastor  in  Charlottesville,  professor 
and  president  in  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary, 
the  story  of  his  life  is  familiar.  The  qualities  and  character- 
istics of  the  man  we  may  leave  unmentioned  ;  the  marvelous 
power  and  success  of  the  teacher  others  may  speak  of.  These 
few  lines  may  only — and  oh,  so  imperfectly — take  note  of  the 
preacher.  Where  lay  his  power?  The  question  is  not  easily 
answered,  for,  as  in  all  such  cases,  it  is  a  complexity.  Not 
only  did  it  lie  in  the  wealth  of  his  scholarship,  the  breadth 
of  his  culture,  the  keenness  of  his  intellect,  the  strength  of  his 
logic,  the  clearness  of  his  conceptions,  these  intellectual 
qualities  and  others  were  only  a  part  of  his  power.  Sympa- 
thy is  the  keynote.  He  was  a  man  among  men.  He  knew 
human  nature  ;  he  felt  with  it  and  for  it ;  he  knew  how  to 
talk  to  it,  to  tell  it  what  it  was  and  what  it  was  not  and  what 
it  knew  it  ought  to  be.  The  orator's  power  was  easily  his  : 
kindling  rush  of  emotion,  the  splendor  of  high  conceptions, 
the  soaring  reach  of  imagination, — yet  restrained  by  sound 
common  sense  and  stable  judgment, — the  power  to  show,  to 
kindle,  and  to  move.  There  was  also  the  thoroughness  of 
acquaintance  with  his  subjects.  He  knew  the  Bible.  He 
loved  to  open  out  the  inner  meaning  of  the  sacred  word,  to 
be  the  five  interpreter  between  God's  thought  and  man's 
need.  Yes,  and  back  of  all  this,  the  heart  that  rested  on 
the  Saviour,  the  soul  in  touch  with  its  God,  and  that  yet 
reached  out  in  human  love  toward  his  fellow-men.  In  style 
he  was  very  simple  and  unaffected,  oftentimes  carelessly 
familiar,  yet  rising  to  sublimity  and  to  poetry  when  he  chose. 
Sometimes  he  could  scathe  ^\'ith  the  keenest  sarcasm  and 
invective,  sometimes  batter  with  sledge-hammer  logic,  some- 
times again  melt  with  the  tenderest  pathos,  and  anon  amuse 
with  the  swift  play  of  humor.      Indeed,  he  could  play  with  a 

2  A 


402      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

master  hand  upon  all  the  keys  of  that  subtle  instrument, 
human  nature,  his  own  and  other  people's.  Doctor  Broadus' 
published  sermons  are  worthy  of  him,  and  yet  to  those  who 
knew  and  heard  him  they  seem  tame  in  comparison,  and  to 
those  who  never  heard  him  they  cannot  convey  a  tithe  of  his 
personal  power. 

There  was  another  preacher  in  the  seminary  faculty  not  so 
widely  known  as  Broadus,  but  within  the  circle  of  his  acquaint- 
ances, in  different  ways,  no  less  great  than  Broadus  himself 
This  was  William  Williams.  The  oft-quoted  but  expressive 
phrase  "logic  on  fire"  was  never  more  suitably apphed  than 
to  him.  Clearness  of  conception,  force  heightened  by 
depth  and  warmth  of  feeling,  made  his  sermons,  as  delivered 
by  him,  masterpieces.  He  Avas  very  useful  among  country 
churches  in  the  neighborhood  of  Greenville,  S.  C,  where  the 
seminary,  during  his  lifetime,  was  located,  and  his  name  will 
linger  long  in  the  recollection  of  those  who  knew  him  as 
pastor  and  preacher. 

vSomewhat  like  him  in  Virginia,  serving  country  churches 
for  the  most  part,  was  A.  B.  Brown,  a  very  tornado  of  logi- 
cal, impassioned,  and  stirring  speech. 

At  Washington,  Ga. ,  the  typical  pastor  in  a  small  town,  the 
cultured  gentleman,  the  refined  and  courteous  Christian,  the 
faithful  pastor,  the  loving  preacher  to  children,  must  be  men- 
tioned the  greatly  beloved  Henry  Allen  Tupper,  better  knoAvn 
to  the  denomination  in  his  later  life  as  secretary  of  the  Foreign 
Mission  Board,  having  succeeded  the  beloved  James  B.  Tay- 
lor. A  word  must  be  said  also  of  the  gentle-spirited,  ten- 
derly eloquent  Henry  McDonald,  whom  Kentucky,  Virginia, 
and  Georgia  unite  to  love  and  honor  for  his  warm  heart,  his 
moving  speech,  and  his  gentle  ministry  of  sympathy  and 
affection.  Erect  in  person  and  in  soul  stands  the  brilliant 
and  rhetorical  J.  B.  Hawthorne,  pastor  in  Alabama,  Virginia, 
Georgia,  and  elsewhere.  Doctor  Hawthorne  is  very  careful 
of  his  preparation  and  delivery,  brave  and  fearless  in  his 
speech,  polished  and  eloquent  in  style,  and  withal  a  lovable 
and  successful  pastor.  William  E.  Hatcher,  now  for  a  quarter 
of  a  century  pastor  of  the  Grace  Street  Church  in  Richmond, 
Va. ,  and  widely  known  as  a  denominational  leader  of  singu- 
lar tact  and  wisdom,  is  also  a  gifted  preacher,  and  greatly 
excels  in  the  delineation  and  analysis  of  Scripture  characters 
and  in  impressing  the  lessons  of  these  upon  his  hearers.  One 
of  the  more  brilliant,  thought-provoking,  and  incisive  of  our 
preachers  is  James  C.  Hiden,  pastor  at  various  times  in  Vir- 
ginia, North  Carolina,  South  CaroHna,  and  elsewhere  ;  while 


SOUTHERN 


403 


the  genial  and  beloved  Thomas  H.  Pritchard,  lately  deceased, 
has  left  behind  him  many  who  loved  him  as  a  man  and 
preacher. 

During  this  period  two  useful  and  greatly  beloved  minis- 
ters of  Florida  must  be  mentioned  :  the  genial  and  warm- 
hearted N.  A.  Bailey,  who  died  suddenly,  leaving  behind  him 
a  revered  and  honored  memory ;  and  also  the  still  living  and 
highly  esteemed  W.  N  Chaudoin,  for  many  years  the  beloved 
John  among  his  brethren. 

Among  country  preachers  who,  in  the  time  since  the  war, 
have  still  exerted  great  influence  among  their  brethren  and 
preserved  the  best  traditions  of  the  older  time,  must  be 
named  J.  A.  W.  Thomas,  of  South  Carolina,  pastor  of  dif- 
ferent churches  in  Marlboro  County  in  that  State  all  his  hfe. 
Noble  in  character,  strong  and  sometimes  over-powering  in 
the  pulpit,  he  was  one  of  the  types  of  the  soldier  preacher 
who  came  back  from  the  war  to  carry  on  the  work  of  the  gos- 
pel ;  and  with  him  belongs  for  similar  mention  the  well-known 
and  inimitable  J.  B.  Gambrell,  of  Mississippi,  Georgia,  and 
Texas.  Doctor  Gambrell' s  singular  felicity  in  platform  address 
goes  with  him  in  the  pulpit,  where  his  sound  sense,  quaint 
humor,  and  deep  spirituahty  make  his  message  impressive 
to  his  hearers. 

Straight  and  tall,  both  physically  and  morally,  among  his 
brethren  stands  B.  H.  Carroll,  of  Texas,  a  self-educated  man, 
an  omnivorous  reader,  a  splendid  leader  of  the  forces  ;  yet 
his  chief  title  to  fame  is  in  his  admirable  powers  as  a  preacher 
of  the  word  of  God.  For  many  years  he  was  pastor  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  in  Waco,  Texas,  where  the  influence 
and  fruits  of  his  ministry  will  abide  for  generations. 

Noted  and  honored  among  his  brethren  in  Missouri  for  the 
qualities  of  his  manhood  and  the  fruits  of  his  ministry  is  W. 
Pope  Yeaman,  identified  for  years  with  the  Baptist  progress 
in  that  State.  Another  among  the  soldier  preachers  is  Henry 
F.  Sproles,  of  Mississippi,  whose  scholarly  pulpit  expositions 
of  the  Bible  are  the  delight  of  his  congregations.  W.  W. 
Landrum,  the  warm-hearted  son  of  a  useful  and  venerated 
father,  stands  high  among  us  for  his  gifts  and  graces  as  a  man 
and  as  a  proclaimer  of  the  truth.  Among  the  younger  breth- 
ren many  hopeful  ones  are  rising  about  us.  They  are  too 
many  to  name,  but  a  few  at  least,  as  samples  of  their  kind, 
may  claim  a  brotherly  notice  :  Charles  A.  Stakely,  late  of 
Washington,  D.  C. ;  George  W.  Truett,  of  Texas;  A.  J. 
Barton,  of  Arkansas  ;  R.  P.  Johnston,  of  Missouri ;  and  Car- 
ter Helm  Jones,  of  Kentucky. 


404      BAPTIST  PULPIT  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

A  type  of  minister  which  ought  to  be  mentioned  is  that  of 
those  who  have  combined  with  preaching  other  work.  Among 
these  are  our  secretaries  and  educators,  many  of  whom  have 
already  been  mentioned.  Besides  there  are  numbers  of  dis- 
tinguished brethren  who  have  identified  themselves  with  other 
pursuits,  and  yet  have  been  greatly  useful  as  preachers  of  the 
gospel.  Among  these  was  the  learned  judge  and  useful  citi- 
zen, R.  E.  B.  Baylor,  of  Texas  ;  the  upright  and  popular 
James  P.  Eagle,  for  several  terms  governor  of  Arkansas  ;  and 
the  eloquent  and  greatly  gifted  J.  L.  M.  Curry,  of  Alabama, 
Virginia,  and  Washington,  once  professor  in  Richmond  Col- 
lege, then  United  States  minister  to  Spain,  and  now  superin- 
tendent of  the  Peabody  and  Slater  Educational  Funds. 

In  concluding  this  imperfect  outline  of  the  Southern  Bap- 
tist pulpit,  a  few  matters  of  importance  suggest  themselves. 
Where  so  much  variety  and  so  many  exceptions  are  found,  it 
may  be  deemed  useless  to  attempt  any  general  characteriza- 
tion of  the  preaching  of  a  century  ;  but  there  are  some  traits 
which  have  been  so  common  among  the  Southern  Baptist 
ministers  as  to  make  it  possible  in  a  general  way  to  point  them 
out. 

1.  As  to  doctrine.  The  Calvinistic  type  of  evangelical  doc- 
trine has  been  and  remains  prominent  in  the  Baptist  preaching 
of  the  South,  though  in  the  earher  days  there  were  some  traces 
of  Arminianism.  The  peculiar  tenets  of  the  denomination 
have  at  all  times  been  presented  with  force  and  clearness — 
at  first  and  during  the  developing  days  with  more  asperity 
than  now.  The  Baptist  preachers  have  been  usually  very 
conservative  in  their  theology.  They  have  stood  earnestly 
and  firmly  upon  the  inspiration  and  authority  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  upon  the  great  fact  of  the  vicarious  atonement. 
They  have  not  gone  astray  on  the  doctrines  concerning  the 
future  hfe.  In  the  earlier  and  middle  periods  future  punish- 
ment was  very  terribly  preached.  In  our  later  times,  while 
the  doctrine  is  still  believed  and  presented,  it  is  not  so  much 
emphasized  as  formerly. 

2.  As  to  manner.  The  preaching  of  Southern  Baptists  has 
been  mostly  extemporaneous  in  delivery,  though  some  of  our 
best  preachers,  particularly  in  the  earlier  and  middle  periods, 
read  their  sermons.  Very  few,  if  any,  do  so  now.  The 
preaching  has  been  mostly  hortatory  and  experimental,  often 
with  fine  oratorical  flashes.  The  influence  of  Broadus,  ahke 
by  his  book  on  preaching,  his  teaching,  and  his  example,  has 
been  felt  against  the  tendency  to  spiritualize  the  Scriptures, 
and  largely  to  induce  more  expository  preaching.    Our  preach- 


SOUTHERN  405 

ing  has  often  been  rhetorical  and  ornate,  fervid  in  delivery, 
and  often  not  very  exact  in  style.  In  the  earlier  day  the 
preaching  was  sometimes  quite  stately  and  dignified  ;  now 
there  is  more  flexibility,  more  famiHarity  perhaps.  Of  sen- 
sational, political,  and  social  preaching  we  have  had  very 
httle.  Our  preachers  have  been  mostly  intent  on  setting  forth 
the  gospel  of  grace,  and  in  winning  and  edifying  the  souls  of 
men. 

3.  As  to  effect.  The  pulpit  has  been  held  usually  in  very 
high  respect  among  the  people  of  the  South.  It  has  been  a 
great  force  for  good— a  strong  and  forceful  presentation  of 
divine  truth.  There  have  been  thousands  of  conversions 
through  the  ministry  of  Southern  Baptists,  and  much  unper- 
ceived  fruit  in  the  molding  of  character  and  life,  in  the  shaping 
of  institutions,  in  the  promotion  of  all  that  is  good  among  the 
Southern  people.  Take  it  all  in  all,  the  Southern  Baptist 
ministry  of  this  century,  with  all  its  faults  and  failings, — and 
they  have  not  been  few, — has  been  a  powerful  one.  It  has 
upheld  the  truth  of  God  ;  it  has  yearned  over  the  present  life 
and  the  future  state  of  human  souls  ;  it  has  been  full  of  bless- 
ing to  the  age,  and  it  leaves  a  rich  heritage  for  the  study  and 
imitation  and  respect  of  the  coming  century.  "  Not  unto  us, 
O  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  give  glory. ' ' 

E.  C.  Dargan. 


XXVI 

BAPTIST  BUSINESS  MEN  AND  PHILANTHROPISTS 


God  believes  in  mathematics.  The  proof  of  this  is  that  he 
judges  by  ratios.  The  parables  of  the  Talents  and  the  Pounds 
express  statements  such  as,  "  to  whom  much  is  given,  of  him 
will  much  be  expected ' ' ;  the  affirmation  that  the  measure 
of  punishment  is  the  degree  of  knowledge  with  reference  to 
both  the  servant  who  knew  his  master's  will  and  did  it  not 
and  the  heathen,  make  it  certain  that  the  law  of  proportions 
is  supreme  in  his  estimate  of  success  in  the  stewardship  of 
knowledge,  money,  power,  time,  and  all  things  else.  It  is 
not  at  all  sure  that  the  Hebrew  decimal  fairly  covers  Christian 
responsibiUty.  Often  a  hteral  application  of  that  ratio  pro- 
duces enormous  sacrifice  to  a  trifling  income  and  yields  a 
comparative  trifle  from  an  enormous  income.  And  so  it 
comes  to  be  that  in  the  divine  lexicon  the  word  proportion 
itself  oozes  from  the  grip  of  our  hard  and  fast  vulgar  fractions 
and  becomes  defined  only  in  the  dictionary  of  conscience. 
The  widow's  mite  was  more  than  the  great  gifts  of  the  wealthy 
because  both  the  earthly  and  the  heavenly  mathematics  de- 
clared the  greatness  of  its  ratio  to  possessions. 

Philanthropy  is,  in  its  heft,  a  matter  of  the  spirit  and  not 
of  the  substance.  The  gift,  after  all,  is  only  the  material 
exhibition  of  the  consecration  of  personal  energy.  Earning 
capacities  differ  both  inherently  and  by  virtue  of  variation 
of  external  conditions.  This  double  Hmitation  for  some,  or 
double  advantage  for  others,  is  a  seed  of  which  wealth  is  the 
plant.  How  many  blooms  shall  be  plucked  for  a  sweet 
smelling  savor  to  God?  The  determining  factor  is  dispo- 
sition. 

Therefore,  any  account  of  the  Baptist  business  men  and 
philanthropists  of  the  nineteenth  century  must  begin  with  a 
tribute  to  those  countless  multitudes  of  men  and  women  in 
whose  hearts  the  fires  of  altruism  have  burned  brightly,  but 
who  have  been  short  of  financial  fuel.  It  is  the  aggregation 
of  raindrops  that  makes  the  dry  earth  fertile  and  fills  the 
reservoirs  that  supply  the  thirst  and  needs  of  the  myriads. 
When  the  roll  of  ratios  is  accurately  made  up  by  the  celestial 
406 


BAPTIST    BUSINESS    MEN    AND    PHILANTHROPISTS    407 

accountant,  "many  that  are  last  shall  be  first  and  the  first 
last."  Both  the  poor  widow  and  the  rich  young  man  have 
had  long  Hnes  of  progeny,  and  many  to-day  will  find  their 
names  on  the  genealogical  tree  of  one  or  the  other.  It  is  a 
weird  and  fascinating  picture  which  the  imagination  paints 
when  it  sees  the  perennial  century  shower  of  drops  of  green 
and  gold,  silver  and  bronze,  falling  from  the  clouds  of  count- 
less hands  into  the  treasuries  of  numberless  local,  national, 
and  international  philanthropies.  Behind  these  clouds  is  the 
pure  sunshine  of  those  hearts  that  are  the  light  of  the  world. 
Let  us  not  forget  this  in  our  estimate  of  the  worth  of  the 
financial  element  to  the  kingdom  of  God.  None  the  less 
beautiful  is  it  all  because  in  so  many  cases  these  absolutely 
small  gifts  have  been  so  relatively  great  that  they  have  been 
expressions  of  devotion  that  have  turned  the  heart  into  an 
altar  and  the  pittance  into  a  genuine  sacrifice  upon  it.  Those 
who  have  left  all  and  followed  shall  reign.  All  honor  to  the 
memory  of  these  who  now  have  sceptres  placed  in  the  hands 
that  were  literally  emptied  that  they  might  cover  at  least  the 
scar  in  the  pierced  palm  whose  extended  gesture  said  to 
scanty  possessions,  "I  have  need  of  thee."  And  so  our 
first  monument  shall  be  to  those  "  unknown  "  who,  by  sink- 
ing self  in  the  mass,  joined  with  all  their  kindred  spirits  to 
found  and  support  the  various  ministries  through  which 
the  bride  of  Christ  serves  soul  and  body  in  this  day.  No 
name  stands  out  in  any  mention  of  the  collections  taken 
for  the  saints  in  Jerusalem.  Behind  the  stream  that  flowed 
through  an  apostle's  hand  there  was  a  union  of  Asiatic,  Mace- 
donian, and  Achaian  tributaries,  whose  individual  rivulets 
are  anonymous.  The  record  of  the  last  century  is  hkewise 
apostolic.      God  knows,  and  that  is  enough. 

And  yet  it  must  not  be  thought  that  those  whose  innate 
abilities  and  favoring  opportunities  have  made  them  stewards 
of  large  wealth,  are  any  the  less  worthy  of  gratitude  and 
praise  where  they  have  applied  the  same  principles  of  steward- 
ship. It  is  a  sin  not  to  be  rich  if  one  can  acquire  honestly. 
It  is  a  crime  against  both  inner  and  outer  conditions  which 
providentially  indicate  the  direction  of  the  amplest  exercise 
of  personal  energy.  A  double  compliment  is  due  to  the 
generous  wealthy  in  that  they  have  not  only  used  their  op- 
portunities well,  but  have  also  resisted  the  strong  seductions 
which  the  possession  of  wealth  always  brings.  The  great 
world  power  is  Mammon.  When  one  devotes  riches  to  God 
and  one's  fellows,  he  is  making  the  deity  of  this  world  bow 
down  to  Christ.     Whenever  this  is  done,  Dagon  falls  in  his 


408     BAPTIST    BUSINESS    MEN    AND    PHILANTHROPISTS 

own  temple  once  more  before  the  ark  of  Jehovah.  "  Every 
penny  I  have  belongs  to  God,"  said  one  of  the  richest  men 
in  America  a  few  years  ago  to  the  writer.  Behind  the  image 
and  superscription  of  the  realm  he  saw  another  face  and 
dedication.  That  this  is  not  an  isolated  spirit  the  record  of 
great  gifts  amply  demonstrates.  Neither  if  a  man  has  not  is 
he  the  better,  nor  if  he  has  is  he  the  worse.  Christianity 
reaches  below  the  accidents  of  affluence  or  penury,  as  truly 
as  beneath  those  of  homehness  or  beauty.  Misers  may  be 
either  millionaires  or  mendicants.  The  love  of  money  is 
independent  of  either  its  possession  or  absence.  Both  pov- 
erty and  opulence  may  be  sanctified,  and  both  may  be 
curses. 

To  write  only  the  names  of  persons  who  have  given  large 
sums  of  money  to  the  kingdom  of  God  as  supported  by  Bap- 
tists would  consume  more  than  the  entire  space  allowed  for 
this  chapter.  The  records  of  every  educational,  missionary, 
philanthropic,  and  ecclesiastical  institution  would  have  to  be 
searched  to  tell  the  story  of  the  noble  men  and  women  who 
have  regarded  themselves  as  God's  trustees.  The  directory 
of  these  administrators  of  their  Lord's  wealth  would  be  huge 
in  size,  and  bewildering  in  details.  The  very  few  who  may 
be  mentioned  are  only  samples  of  that  unnamed  and  vast 
majority  v>'ho  will  not  feel  envious  because  the  general  pros- 
perity of  our  enterprises  is  presented  rather  than  the  adver- 
tisement of  individual  factors  in  this  achievment.  No 
anount  of  effort  could  produce  a  complete  list.  To  give 
the  sums  is  manifestly  also  impossible.  Accuracy  could  not 
be  attained.  Uncertain  approximation  would  be  our  only 
reward,  for  in  most  cases  no  information  could  be  had  from 
the  donors,  whose  reticence  is  usually  as  great  as  their  benevo- 
lence. Many  letters  have  been  written  to  living  contributors 
of  large  sums  asking  for  figures.  In  only  one  case  has  this 
request  been  granted.  "I  would  greatly  prefer  that  the 
amounts  of  my  contributions  for  the  various  purposes  enu- 
merated in  your  letter  should  never  be  made  public."  "As 
to  my  own  giving,  I  have  never  kept  any  account,  and  know 
no  more  about  it,  so  far  as  amounts  are  concerned,  than  you 
do."  "It  is  impossible  to  approach  at  all  the  amount  my 
honored  father  contributed  pecuniarily  in  the  several  ways 
you  have  indicated,  for  such  a  large  portion  of  it  was  given 
in  secret."  "Father  has  always  preferred  to  make  his  gifts 
in  an  unostentatious  way,  and  to  have  as  little  known  of 
them  as  possible,  and  in  accordance  with  this  feeling  is  loth 
to  give   the  information  for  which  you  ask."      "When  it 


BAPTIST    BUSINESS    MEN    AND    PHILANTHROPISTS    409 

comes  to  writing  up  one's  own  doings  along  benevolent 
lines,  the  task  is  anything  but  agreeable."  "  I  do  not  see 
that  it  is  at  all  possible  to  give  you  the  information  desired. 
It  may  be  that  the  use  of  our  name  had  better  be  dropped 
from  the  article  you  intend  to  write."  These  are  only  a  few 
samples  of  the  polite  and  modest  dechnations  which  have 
been  unanimous.  The  one,  who  shall  be  nameless  here, 
whose  son  has  given  the  information  desired,  contributed 
considerably  over  ^5,000,000  during  his  lifetime,  for  educa- 
tional, charitable,  and  ecclesiastical  purposes. 

The  media  of  bestowment  may  be  roughly  classified  as 
ecclesiastical,  missionary,  educational,  and  philanthropic. 
Others  have  written  of  the  first  three  particularly.  The  last 
category  includes  private  generosity,  of  which  we  have  no 
means  of  knowing  ;  sums  given  through  local  church  channels 
for  the  relief  of  distress  of  every  species  ;  superb  benefactions 
to  institutional  philanthropy,  such  as  educational  enterprises 
(for  none  of  these  is  self-supporting),  homes  of  various 
classes,  as  for  the  aged,  for  children,  for  ministers,  for 
specially  needy  ones,  and  hospitals.  To  undertake  even  a 
sketch  of  the  streams  that  have  flowed  through  these  chan- 
nels, from  trickle  to  torrent,  would  be  a  wild  effort  fore- 
doomed to  ridiculous  failure.  We  are  forced  to  generahze 
with  the  facts  constantly  beating  against  verbal  confinements 
in  the  struggle  for  even  fractional  expression.  We,  there- 
fore, content  ourselves  with  pale  hints,  and  leave  for  some 
well-quaUfied  future  census  taker  and  statistician  the  roll  of 
givers,  and  the  arithmetic  of  the  gifts. 

The  large  number  of  schools  named  for  generous  benefac- 
tors bears  witness  to  the  generosity  of  the  wealthy.  The 
names  of  Baylor,  Benedict,  Bishop,  Brown,  Bucknell,  Colby, 
Colgate,  Hardin,  Hartshorn,  Mercer,  McMaster,  Pratt,  Shaw, 
Stephens,  Stetson,  Vassar,  William  Jewell,  have  been  given 
to  colleges.  The  names  of  HoUins,  Peddie,  Pillsbury,  are 
among  those  given  to  academies  and  institutes.  The  Crozer 
family  is  linked  to  one  of  our  theological  seminaries.  The 
contributions  made  by  those  who  have  not  conferred  their 
names  upon  the  objects  of  their  benevolence  are  in  some 
cases  far  larger.  It  is  noticeable  that  when  an  institution  is 
blessed  with  the  name  of  a  contributor,  it  is  burdened  for 
the  same  cause.  Others  are  only  too  willing  to  allow  those 
whose  name  it  bears  to  enlarge  its  endowment  and  attend  to 
its  financial  prosperity.  Seats  of  learning  without  a  patro- 
nymic have  had  large  gifts  from  many  sources.  Think  also  of 
the  millions  of  dollars  given  by  Mr.  J.  D.  Rockefeller  to  the 


4TO     BAPTIST    BUSINESS    MEN    AND    PHILANTHROPISTS 

University  of  Chicago,  and  through  the  American  Baptist 
Education  Society  to  scores  of  other  Baptist  institutions,  and 
also  without  the  mediation  of  this  society  to  many  other  edu- 
cational enterprises;  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Trevor's  gifts  to  Roches- 
ter Seminary  ;  of  the  handsome  endowment  of  the  unde- 
nominational Pratt  Institute,  Brooklyn,  by  Mr.  Charles 
Pratt ;  of  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  given  to  New 
York  institutions  by  the  Milbank  family  ;  of  the  large  gifts  of 
the  Leverings,  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  the  Nortons,  of  Louis- 
ville, Ky. ,  to  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary  ;  of 
the  generosity  of  Mr.  J.  A.  Bostwick  to  Southern  colleges  ; 
the  liberality  of  Mr.  James  Thomas  and  Mr.  T.  C.  Williams 
to  Richmond  College,  Virginia  ;  of  the  equally  noble  benevo- 
lences of  hosts  of  others  to  provide  buildings  and  endow- 
ments for  all  the  long  catalogue  of  Baptist  educational  enter- 
prises.     And  yet  opportunities  are  not  exhausted. 

Purely  philanthropic  institutions  are  necessarily  mostly 
local.  These  are  scattered  over  the  whole  land.  The  very 
incomplete  list  in  the  "Baptist  Year-Book"  mentions  ten 
homes  for  the  aged,  fifteen  for  the  care  of  orphans  and  chil- 
dren, three  societies  for  the  assistance  of  ministers  who  are 
worn  out  or  unable  to  work,  and  six  hospitals  and  sanitari- 
ums. Were  that  list  by  any  means  an  exhaustive  index  of 
all  that  exists  along  these  lines,  it  would  be  in  itself  a  con- 
demning commentary  upon  the  neglect  of  our  brotherhood 
to  realize  the  compassion  which  begat  the  philanthropic  min- 
istry of  our  Lord.  But  it  does  not  tell  the  Avhole  story, — far 
from  it.  And  yet,  when  all  the  industry  of  compilers  shall 
have  overcome  the  negligence  of  those  who  ought  to  furnish 
complete  information,  there  is  no  doubt  that  a  perfect  roster 
would  reveal  that  the  number  of  these  institutions  is  pitifully 
inadequate  for  anything  like  the  full  discharge  of  our  sacred 
obhgations  to  minister  to  the  physical  and  temporal  well- 
being  of  the  distressed  members  of  our  household  of  the 
faith.  The  institutions  alluded  to  above  are  mostly  all  of 
them  in  the  large  cities.  Two  are  in  New  England,  thirteen 
are  in  the  Middle  Atlantic  States,  four  are  in  Western  States, 
and  fifteen  are  in  the  enormous  territory  covered  by  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention.  The  luxurious  Home  for  Min- 
isters, given  and  endowed  by  Deacon  George  Nugent,  at 
Germantown,  Pa.,  is  national  in  the  scope  of  its  invitation  to 
the  needy  whom  it  can  help.  Other  societies  for  the  sam.e 
purpose  cover  one  State,  or  several,  or  only  the  territory  of  a 
district  Association.  The  other  charitable  enterprises  are  all 
local,  and  must  needs  be  so.      Philanthropies  for  the  care  of 


BAPTIST    BUSINESS    MEN    AND    PHILANTHROPISTS    4II 

special  forms  of  suffering  are  scarce.  Perhaps  the  growing 
governmental  paternalism  has  had  something  to  do  with  this 
condition,  but  the  chief  cause  for  the  sparseness  is  no  doubt 
insufficient  financial  resources. 

Righteous  Christian  pride  should  be  too  great  to  thrust  the 
care  of  our  afflicted  ones  upon  the  humiliating  grace  of  mu- 
nicipal consolation,  or  the  imitable  hospitality  of  other  eccle- 
siastical families.  Hospitals  are  greatly  needed.  Homes  for 
incurables  are  temporary  havens  to  their  inmates,  and  the 
source  of  hearty  doxologies  to  many  who  can  offer  their 
hopelessly  diseased  dear  ones  only  the  crudest  home  com- 
forts. Other  specific  forms  of  institutional  philanthropy  will 
occur  to  every  one.  The  opportunity  for  consecrated  JBaptist 
wealth  in  these  directions  is  practically  boundless.  The 
United  States  ought  to  be  well  freckled  with  such  buildings. 
The  question  is  often  raised  in  the  minds  of  many  pastors 
who  are  daily  brought  face  to  face  with  needs  for  the  relief 
of  which  no  provision  exists  among  us,  whether,  after  all,  it 
is  wisest  to  encourage  what  suspiciously  resembles  a  fad  of 
fortune,  the  lavishing  of  abundance  upon  already  prosperous 
educational  institutions  to  piece  out  the  expense  of  the  cul- 
ture of  many  who  are  able  to  meet  the  entire  cost,  and  to 
neglect  the  less  fortunate  multitude  whose  bodily  needs 
clamor  for  the  gentle  ministry  of  food,  clothing,  and  the 
healing  art.  "These  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to 
have  left  the  other  undone."  It  will  not  mar  this  book  if, 
in  the  maze  of  hazy  chronicle,  there  should  appear  one  fiery 
spot  of  appeal  for  the  removal  of  the  real  reproach  of  our  in- 
commensurate philanthropic  facilities. 

It  would  be  a  congenial  task  to  write  of  the  lives  and  good 
deeds  of  such  representative  business  men  as  Charles  H. 
Banes,  R.  E.  B.  Baylor,  Nathan  Bishop,  A.  D.  Brown, 
Joseph  E.  Brown,  William  A.  Cauldwell,  Holbrook  Chamber- 
lain, Governor  Coburn,  Gardner  Colby,  WiUiam,  Samuel, 
and  James  B.  Colgate,  S.  S.  Constant,  Mr.  Converse,  John 
P.  Samuel,  Lewis,  Robert,  and  George  Crozer,  and  the  hke- 
minded  women  of  that  noble  family,  L.  B.  Ely,  Mr.  Estey, 
Governor  Fuller,  Daniel  S.  Ford,  whose  food  and  drink  it 
was  to  do  good,  Robert  O.  Fuller,  Stephen  Greene,  C.  H. 
Hardin,  James  L.  Howard,  W.  M.  Isaacs,  William  Jewell, 
Amos  Kendall,  Chester  W.  Kingsley,  W.  W.  Keen,  the 
Knowles  brothers,  the  Levering  brothers,  William  McMaster, 
Joseph  Milbank,  George  Nugent,  Thomas  B.  Peddie,  H.  K. 
Porter,  Charles  Pratt,  J.  D.  Rockefeller,  J.  L.  Stephens,  J. 
B.  Stetson,  James  Thomas,  W.   H.  Hills,  J.   B.  Trevor,  and 


412     BAPTIST    BUSINESS    MEN    AND    PHILANTHROPISTS 

Pierce  N.  Welch,  and  a  host  of  others  like  them.  Each  of 
these  was  or  is  a  reservoir  of  spiritual  and  financial  strength 
to  local  denominational  interests.  Their  sagacity,  their  well- 
deserved  personal  influence,  their  money,  and  all  that  they 
represented,  has  gladly  been  used  for  Christ  in  the  largest 
opportunities  as  well  as  locally  and  denominationally.  Such 
as  these  divide  evenly  with  a  consecrated  ministry  the  honor 
of  all  our  progress  in  the  century.  They  have  kept  pace  with 
the  most  briUiant  clerical  leadership  we  have  had,  and  for- 
bearingly  supported  mediocrity  when  it  has  officered  the 
hosts  of  the  Lord,  and  neutralized  the  blunders  of  stupid  in- 
feriority. Such  as  these  have  devised  our  policies,  harnessed 
mammon  to  the  King's  chariots,  fostered  intensity  of  our 
denominational  Hfe  and  extension  of  our  principles,  and 
made  a  story  of  Baptist  advance  of  which  we  need  never  be 
ashamed. 

At  the  opening  of  the  century  we  were  weak  in  numbers, 
social  position,  pohtical  influence,  intellectual  energy,  both 
personal  and  institutional,  and  pecuniary  possessions.  We 
were  strong  only  in  faith  and  in  scripturalness  of  position. 
Colonial  prestige  was  denied  us,  nor  did  we  have  the  aid  of 
any  foreign  establishment.  No  tale  is  more  romantic  than 
that  of  the  reversal  of  this  situation.  Now  we  are  a  host, 
we  have  our  share  of  public  office,  own  a  wonderful  educa- 
tional apparatus,  have  made  at  least  a  start  in  philanthropic 
ministrations,  claim  a  portion  of  every  social  stratum,  and 
have  become  the  stewards  of  a  fair  proportion  of  the  riches  of 
the  land.  Myriads  of  Baptists  have  contributed  to  the  chari- 
ties of  other  denominations,  partly  because  we  had  no  such 
appealing  enterprises,  and  partly  because  our  spirit  is  large 
enough  to  ignore  rigid  sectarianism.  In  this  our  business 
men  have  set  an  example,  which,  though  worthy  of  imitation, 
has  been  seldom  followed. 

A  reasonable  estimate  of  the  money  now  devoted  to  the 
plants  and  endowments  of  our  educational  and  philanthropic 
institutions  yields  at  least  $50,000,000.  The  value  of  our 
meeting-houses  greatly  exceeds  that  sum.  The  contributions 
for  missionary  work  in  all  its  forms  in  city,  State,  nation,  and 
abroad  is  still  in  excess  of  the  latter  figure.  The  sums  given 
for  the  support  of  pubhc  worship  during  the  century  vastly 
surpasses  the  last  expenditure.  If  all  these  are  added,  and 
it  is  remembered  that  these  items  are  far  from  exhaustive, 
the  stupendous  contributions  of  our  business  men  and  women 
for  utterly  unselfish  purposes  during  the  last  one  hundred 
years  may  be  imagined.     That  every  one  has  done  what  he 


BAPTIST    BUSINESS    MEN    AND    PHILANTHROPISTS     413 

could  no  one  will  affirm.  But  as  a  revelation  of  the  possibil- 
ities that  underlie  the  century  upon  which  we  have  entered, 
the  dream  of  the  past  begets  the  larger  offspring  of  the  reverie 
of  the  future.  AH  honor  to  these,  both  obscure  and  con- 
spicuous, unknown  and  well  known,  forgotten  and  memorial- 
ized, who  alike,  by  means  of  the  wise  use  of  the  mammon  of 
unrighteousness  have  made  friends,  who,  when  it  fails,  will 
receive  them  into  everlasting  habitations. 

W,  C.  Bitting. 


XXVII 

BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH 
CENTURY 


In  selecting  women  for  presentation  in  this  article  we  have 
made  no  attempt  to  show  a  list  of  names  in  any  sense  com- 
plete. Our  limit  of  space  forbade  this.  Our  purpose  is  to 
indicate  the  work  that  women  have  done  and  are  doing  for 
the  cause  of  Christ  in  this  land  and  in  other  lands.  We  have 
chosen  a  few  representative  names,  scattered  along  somewhat 
evenly  through  the  century,  and  distributed  over  various 
fields  of  work. 

Among  the  very  first  of  American  women  to  devote  their 
lives  to  the  conversion  of  the  heathen  in  foreign  lands  was 
Mrs.  Ann  Hasseltine  Judson.  The  influence  of  her  life  is 
incalculable.  Her  courage  and  endurance  in  caring  for  her 
husband  through  his  long  imprisonment,  in  keeping  him  alive 
in  spite  of  the  cruelty  of  his  persecutors,  her  skill  and  her 
almost  superhuman  exertions  that  were  finally  rewarded  by  his 
release — the  whole  heartrending  story  of  the  young  wife's  suf- 
ferings and  self-abandonment,  made  known  to  the  world 
through  her  own  artless  narrative,  has  perhaps  done  more 
than  any  other  one  thing  to  awaken  an  interest  in  America  in 
the  cause  of  foreign  missions. 

Ann  Hasseltine  was  a  bright,  vivacious  girl,  fond  of  social 
pleasures,  and  popular  among  her  friends  and  schoolmates 
in  the  town  of  Bradford,  Mass. ,  where  her  early  years  were 
passed.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  she  had  a  very  profound 
religious  experience.  Perhaps  modern  readers  of  the  young 
girl's  diary,  written  at  the  time,  would  be  inclined  to  the 
opinion  that  she  was  even  morbid  in  the  intensity  of  her 
emotions.  The  result  of  an  agonizing  struggle  was  a  per- 
manent renunciation  of  the  vanity  of  the  world.  With  all 
the  ardor  and  strength  of  her  nature  Ann  entered  upon  a 
life  of  service  to  God.  A  few  months  later  she  united  with 
the  Congregational  church  at  Bradford.  When  she  was  about 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  her  hand  was  sought  in  marriage  by 
Mr.  Judson.  At  this  time  he  had  recently  been  graduated 
414 


BAPTIST  WOMEN   OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY     415 

from  Brown  University,  and  had  received  an  appointment  as 
a  foreign  missionary  from  the  American  (Congregationahst) 
Board.  They  were  married  in  February,  1812,  and  in  the 
same  month  sailed  for  Calcutta,  where  they  were  welcomed 
on  the  eighteenth  of  June  by  the  venerable  Dr.  William 
Carey,  the  great  founder  of  modern  missions. 

The  story  of  the  long  voyage  and  its  investigation  of  the 
subject  of  baptism  has  been  so  often  told  that  it  need  not  be 
repeated  here.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  became  Baptists, 
and  were  immersed  in  Calcutta.  They  made  this  change 
knowing  that  they  would  thus  cut  themselves  off  from  their 
home  support,  and  lose  the  sympathy  of  their  dearest  friends. 
Mrs.  Judson  at  this  time  wrote  to  her  parents  :  "We  are  both 
confirmed  Baptists,  not  because  we  wish  to  be,  but  because 
truth  compelled  us  to  be.  A  renunciation  of  our  former  senti- 
ments has  caused  us  more  pain  than  anything  that  ever  hap- 
pened to  us  through  our  lives." 

After  passing  through  many  perils  and  perplexities  in  search 
of  a  permanent  sphere  for  their  labors,  the  young  couple  finally 
settled  in  Rangoon,  a  seaport  town,  then  the  capital  of  the 
Burman  empire.  Here  for  about  ten  years  they  persevered 
in  one  of  the  most  discouraging  tasks  ev^er  undertaken  by 
man  and  woman.  Part  of  this  time  they  were  assisted  by 
other  missionaries  sent  out  from  America,  but  often  they 
were  alone  in  their  labors.  The  difficulties  of  a  barbarous 
language,  ill-health  brought  on  by  the  climate,  the  interfer- 
ence with  their  work  by  the  Burman  government,  the  loss  of 
their  darling  firstborn,  isolation,  loneliness,  the  meagreness 
of  the  result  of  their  costly  sacrifice,  were  among  the  things 
that  called  for  faith  and  Christian  courage  of  the  highest 
order.  It  was  about  six  years  before  a  single  convert  had 
been  made.  Mrs.  Judson' s  special  share  in  the  work  was 
the  instruction  of  girls  and  women  in  the  truths  of  the  Bible, 
for  which  purpose  she  conducted  either  a  Sunday-school  or  a 
day  school  as  soon  as  she  had  become  sufficiently  acquainted 
with  the  language. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  period  of  their  ten  years'  stay  at 
Rangoon,  Mrs.  Judson  was  obliged  by  the  condition  of  her 
health  to  repair  to  America.  While  here  she  visited  some 
of  the  leading  cities,  where  she  endeavored  to  awaken  an  in- 
terest in  foreign  missions.  Her  powers  of  graphic  narration 
and  eloquent  appeal  were  reinforced  by  her  engaging  per- 
sonality and  she  accomplished  much. 

No  part  of  our  denominational  history  is  more  familiar  than 
is  that  which  connects  itself  with  these  devoted  missionaries 


41 6     BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

during  the  years  that  followed.  The  Burman  War,  the  hor- 
rible sufferings  of  Doctor  Judson,  the  unconquerable  devo- 
tion of  the  heroic  wife  and  the  sad  ending  of  her  life  at  Am- 
herst, in  1826,  during  the  absence  of  her  husband,  has  all 
been  told  over  and  over  again.  We  might  search  the  records 
of  history  in  vain  for  another  such  example  of  female  hero- 
ism and  endurance,  of  Christian  faith  and  fortitude,  in  the 
midst  of  such  crushing  calamities  and  misery.  The  far- 
reaching  influence  of  her  sad  life  can  never  be  estimated. 
She  left  behind  her  a  husband  broken  by  grief,  and  her  death 
threw  a  gloom  over  the  Europeans  in  Amherst  who  had 
learned  to  love  her  during  the  brief  space  of  her  sojourn 
with  them. 

Eight  years  after  the  death  of  his  first  wife  Mr.  Judson  was 
married  to  Mrs.  Sarah  Hall  Boardman,  who  will  be  the  next 
subject  of  this  sketch. 

The  life  of  Sarah  Boardman  Judson  has  been  charmingly 
written  by  Mrs.  Emily  C.  Judson  (Fanny  Forrester),  Mr. 
Judson' s  third  wife. 

Sarah  Hall  was  born  in  the  year  1803,  in  the  State  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, the  eldest  of  thirteen  children.  Her  parents' 
means  were  scanty  and  Sarah  early  learned  lessons  of  self- 
sacrifice  and  patience.  She  was  a  beautiful  child  in  person, 
and  in  character,  a  gentle,  unassuming  nature,  endowed  with 
a  true  poetic  gift.  In  her  childhood  she  wrote  poetry  of  a 
deeply  rehgious  tone,  revealing  at  times  an  intense  interest 
in  the  conversion  of  the  heathen.  WMien  the  young  mission- 
ary, Coleman  of  Arakan,  died  in  the  midst  of  his  labors  among 
the  heathen,  Sarah  was  deeply  affected  by  the  sad  event. 
One  evening,  not  long  afterward,  she  returned  home  from  a 
prayer  meeting  joyful  with  the  news  that  a  successor  to  Cole- 
man had  been  found — a  young  man  in  Maine,  named  Board- 
man.  Sarah  gave  expression  to  her  feeling  on  this  occasion 
in  an  elegy,  commemorating  the  death  of  Coleman,  beginning  : 

'Tis  the  voice  of  deep  sorrow  from  India's  shore, 
The  flower  of  our  churches  is  withered,  is  dead, 

The  gem  that  shone  brightly  will  sparkle  no  more, 
And  the  tears  of  the  Christian  profusely  are  shed. 

The  poem  fell  under  the  eye  of  the  young  man  from  Maine, 
who  recognized  the  noble  enthusiasm  of  the  author,  and  found 
means  of  meeting  her.  In  July,  1825,  Sarah  Hall  and  George 
Dana  Boardman  were  married,  and  left  their  native  country 
to  join  the  American  missionaries  in  Burma. 

The  young  couple  resided  for  some  time  in  Calcutta  and 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY     417 

Moulmein,  and  finally  settled  in  Tavoy,  1828.  Both  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Boardman  suffered  severely  from  ill-health  in  the 
new  climate,  and  Avithin  about  two  years  after  their  coming 
to  Tavoy,  they  lost  two  of  their  children,  one  only,  George 
Dana,  a  delicate  boy,  remaining  to  them.  In  1831  Mrs. 
Boardman  was  left  a  widow.  She  bravely  decided  to  remain 
at  Tavoy,  however,  and  carry  on,  as  well  as  she  could,  the 
work  begun  by  her  husband.  Speaking  of  herself  and  her 
fellow-missionaries,  she  writes,  the  year  after  her  husband's 
death  : 

"Last  April  I  opened  a  school,  with  five  scholars,  under 
the  care  of  a  respectable  and  intelligent  Tavoy  woman.  We 
met  with  much  encouragement  so  that  other  schools  have 
since  been  established,  and  our  number  of  day  scholars  is 
now  about  eighty.  These,  with  the  boarding  schools,  two 
village  schools,  and  about  fifty  persons  who  learn  during  the 
rainy  season,  in  the  Karen  jungle,  make  upward  of  170  un- 
der our  instruction." 

The  day  schools  were  supported  by  the  EngHsh  government, 
whose  pohcy  it  was  to  exclude  the  teaching  of  Christianity 
from  the  course  of  study,  but  Mrs.  Boardman,  through  her 
good  management,  her  firmness,  and  the  tact  which  she  used 
in  her  correspondence  with  the  civil  commissioner  in  au- 
thority, won  for  herself  the  privilege  of  giving  Christian  in- 
struction in  her  schools,  when  it  was  prohibited  in  others. 

We  have  not  space  to  describe  Mrs.  Boardman' s  tours 
through  the  Karen  jungles  and  marshes,  when  she  sometimes 
gathered  about  her  several  hundred  of  the  Karens,  for  whom 
she  would  conduct  worship  with  the  help  of  a  Burman  inter- 
preter. Such  perilous  labors  were  difficult  for  one  of  her  re- 
tiring disposition.      Her  tastes  were  decidedly  domestic. 

About  four  years  after  the  death  of  her  husband,  Mrs. 
Boardman  was  married  to  Doctor  Judson,  and  removed  to 
Moulmein.  She  at  once  commenced  the  study  of  the  language 
of  the  Pequans,  a  people  numerous  in  Moulmein,  and  soon 
organized  female  prayer  meetings,  a  maternal  society,  and 
classes  for  the  instruction  of  women.  She  also,  as  soon  as 
she  had  gained  sufficient  command  of  the  language,  made  a 
translation  into  Pequan  of  the  New  Testament  and  of  a  life 
of  Christ.  At  last  her  health  began  to  fail  under  her  heavy 
burdens,  and  a  voyage  to  America  was  decided  upon  as  afford- 
ing the  only  hope  of  recovery.  Her  husband  and  three  eld- 
est children  were  to  accompany  her.  On  reaching  the  Isle 
de  France,  Mrs.  Judson  was  so  much  improved  that  it  seemed 
no  longer  necessary  for  Mr.  Judson  to  continue  the  journey 

2B 


41  8      BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

with  her.  It  was  on  this  occasion,  when  it  had  been  bravely 
resolved  that  he  should  return  to  his  missionary  labors,  and 
she  and  the  children  pursue  their  way  alone,  that  Mrs.  Jud- 
son  wrote  the  beautiful  and  touching  verses  : 

We  part  on  this  green  islet,  Love, 

Thou  for  the  Eastern  main, 
I  for  the  setting  sun,  Love — 

Oh,  when  to  meet  again  ? 

But  the  promise  of  recovery  proved  false.  The  ship  bore 
on  the  husband  with  his  dying  wife.  Mrs.  Judson  breathed 
her  last  when  the  ship  was  anchored  at  St.  Helena,  and  her 
body  found  a  resting-place  in  the  lonely  island. 

Mr.  Judson  proceeded  upon  his  journey,  and  reached 
America  in  October,  1845,  after  an  absence  of  nearly  thirty- 
four  years.  Two  months  later,  at  the  house  of  Dr.  A.  D. 
Gillette,  he  met  a  young  author  by  the  name  of  Emily  Chub- 
buck,  better  known  by  her  pen  name,  Fanny  Forrester.  He 
had  been  attracted  by  a  volume  of  her  sketches,  and,  in 
accordance  with  his  direct  and  earnest  nature,  he  entered 
without  preliminaries  into  a  serious  conversation  with  her  by 
asking  how  she  could  reconcile  it  with  her  conscience  to 
employ  such  noble  talents  in  such  trifling  sketches  as  he  had 
read  from  her  pen.  The  result  of  the  conversation  was  that 
Mr.  Judson  secured  Miss  Chubbuck's  consent  to  write  the 
memoir  of  his  recently  deceased  wife.  The  two  met  fre- 
quently after  this.  The  friendship  so  suddenly  begun  ripened 
into  love,  and  when  Mr.  Judson  returned  to  Burma  a  year 
later  he  took  with  him  Emily  Chubbuck  to  share  his  labors 
and  be  a  mother  to  the  two  boys  left  behind. 

Mr.  Judson  only  hved  about  four  years  after  his  third  mar- 
riage. During  this  time  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  were  either  at 
Rangoon  or  at  Moulmein.  Mrs.  Judson,  from  her  arrival  in 
the  new  climate,  suffered  much  in  her  health,  which  had 
always  been  delicate,  but  in  spite  of  this  and  her  many 
duties  as  housekeeper,  wife,  and  mother,  she  executed  the 
memoir  of  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Judson  with  great  rapidity,  six 
weeks  only  elapsing  from  her  first  examination  of  the  mate- 
rials put  at  her  disposal  to  the  completion  of  the  work.  She 
also  made  rapid  progress  in  the  study  of  the  language  and 
became  actively  useful  in  the  mission  by  conducting  prayer 
meetings  and  giving  instruction  in  the  Bible. 

After  her  husband's  death  Mrs.  Judson' s  first  purpose  was 
to  remain  in  Burma  and  continue,  as  far  as  she  was  able,  her 
husband's  work,    but  her  faiUng   health    compelled   her  to 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY     419 

return  to  America.  A  little  more  than  five  years  after  she 
had  left  her  native  country  she  found  herself  once  more  in 
the  home  of  her  childhood. 

When  she  first  took  upon  herself  the  responsibiHties  of  a 
missionary's  wife,  many  who  admired  her  for  her  clever  maga- 
zine sketches  feared  that  she  might  prove  wanting  in  the 
quaUties  demanded  by  the  arduous  duties  of  her  new  life. 
But  she  had  abundantly  proved  such  misgivings  groundless. 
She  had  been  a  faithful  wife,  a  devoted  mother,  and  an 
earnest  worker  in  the  mission  field.  She  lived  for  three 
years  after  her  return  to  America,  and  during  this  time  occu- 
pied herself  in  collecting  materials  for  the  life  of  her  husband, 
to  be  written  by  Doctor  Wayland,  and  in  caring  for  the  mate- 
rial and  spiritual  welfare  of  her  husband's  children  and  her 
own  Uttle  girl. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Francis  Mason  came  to  Tavoy  a  few  days 
before  the  death  of  Mr.  Boardman.  Mrs.  Mason's  efforts 
were  largely  directed  toward  the  education  of  Karen  children. 
She  had  at  one  time  under  her  management  twelve  jungle 
schools  among  the  southern  Karens.  The  teachers  in  these 
schools  were  natives,  trained  for  the  most  part  by  Mrs. 
Mason.  She  frequendy  visited  the  schools,  and  besides 
looking  after  such  practical  details  as  suppHes  of  pencils, 
stationery,  books,  etc. ,  by  her  wise  encouragement  and  sug- 
gestions of  improvement  did  all  in  her  power  to  keep  up  a 
high  standard  of  instruction.  Many  valuable  assistants  to 
the  missionaries  were  equipped  for  a  useful  work  in  these 
schools.  The  establishment  of  a  school  in  a  heathen  village 
usually  resulted  in  the  introduction  of  Christianity  into  the 
place  and  an  entire  change  in  the  aspect  and  character  of  the 
people. 

When  the  theological  seminary  for  Karen  preachers  w^as 
founded,  in  the  year  1842,  Mrs.  Mason  gave  much  of  her 
time  and  strength  to  it,  superintending  the  domestic  arrange- 
ments of  the  boarding  department  and  assisting  in  the  work 
of  instruction.  She  was  especially  successful  in  the  teaching 
of  geography.  A  school  geography  in  the  Karen  language 
written  by  her  has  been  widely  used  by  the  Karen  children 
of  Burma.  Other  books  prepared  by  Mrs.  Mason  are  short 
histories  of  Samuel,  David^  and  Elijah  in  Burmese. 

Some  of  the  work  done  by  Mrs.  Mason  among  the  wilds 
of  the  Karen  region  required  heroism  and  endurance  of  the 
highest  degree.  She  accompanied  her  husband  in  some  of 
his  expeditions  to  remote  and  inaccessible  Karen  hamlets, 
perched  sometimes  hke  an  eagle's  nest  upon  a  craggy  summit 


420      BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

or  hidden  in  a  secret  mountain  glen.  She  herself  went  from 
cabin  to  cabin  among  the  settlements,  and  by  her  instructions 
and  exhortations  prepared  the  way  for  the  first  estabhshment 
of  churches  in  regions  hitherto  unexplored. 

While  the  Boardmans  and  the  Masons  were  laboring  for 
the  Karens  and  Burmans,  Mrs.  Nathan  Brown  was  doing  a 
noble  work  as  her  husband's  helpmate  among  the  Assamese. 
With  womanly  heroism  she  endured  the  hardships,  perils, 
and  sorrows  that  usually  make  up  the  lot  of  a  missionary. 
Her  most  fruitful  work  in  Assam  was  begun  about  the 
year  1850  at  Sibsagor,  some  sixteen  years  after  her  arrival 
in  India.  She  had  just  returned  to  the  field  after  a  voyage 
to  America,  where  she  had  undergone  that  severest  trial  of 
the  missionary's  wife,  the  parting  with  her  children.  She 
decided  now  to  adopt  and  bring  up  as  her  own  a  few  little 
Assamese  girls.  "  These  girls,"  she  said,  "I  shall  hope  to 
train  up,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  to  know  and  love  the 
Saviour,  and  I  hope  that  they  will  become  the  wives  of 
native  Christians  and  the  most  promising  of  native  preachers, 
and  that  they  may  live  to  do  good  to  their  fellow-countrymen 
long  after  I  am  gone." 

A  few  months  after  this  resolution  had  been  taken,  a  Mus- 
sulman beggar  appeared  at  her  door,  with  two  children  in 
his  arms.  Their  mother,  such  was  his  story,  had  been  de- 
voured by  a  tiger,  and  prostrating  himself  at  her  feet,  he 
begged  that  she  would  receive  the  younger  of  the  children. 
Mrs.  Brown  needed  no  urging.  She  opened  her  empty, 
motherly  arms  to  the  bright-eyed  little  girl  of  three.  This 
was  only  the  beginning.  It  was  not  long  before  she  had  a 
family  of  fifteen.  There  was  a  variety  of  castes  and  nation- 
alities— Mohammedan,  Hindu,  Brahman,  and  Eurasian.  Her 
means  for  the  support  of  this  family  were  limited,  but  she 
trusted  God.  "My  faith  fails  not,"  she  said  ;  "my  Father 
in  heaven,  who  of  his  good  providence  gave  them  to  me,  is 
rich,  and  I  do  not  think  he  will  withhold  the  necessary 
support." 

Very  touching  is  the  story  of  the  conversion,  one  by  one, 
of  these  missionary  waifs.  They  were  very  responsive  to  the 
tender  influence  of  their  foster-mother's  love.  Mrs.  Brown 
had  the  happiness  of  seeing  ten  of  them  received  into  the 
fold,  and  of  the  whole  number  there  was  not  one  but  finally 
yielded  to  the  claims  of  Christianity. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whiting  had  joined  the  Browns  at  Sibsagor, 
and  after  the  latter  had  been  compelled  to  leave  the  field, 
Mrs.  Whiting  assumed  the  care  of  the  httle  family  school. 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY     42  I 

For  a  whole  year,  1858,  Mrs.  Whiting  did  not  see  a  white 
woman's  face.  Later,  the  Whitings  were  joined  by  the  Rev. 
Cyrus  F.  and  Mrs.  Mary  Bronson  Tohiian. 

At  Thongze,  in  Burma,  a  very  flourishing  mission  station 
is  the  fruit  of  a  woman's  life  labor.  Fifty  years  ago  this 
place  was  a  jungle  village,  stagnating  in  almost  absolute  hea- 
thenism. Now  there  are  nine  native  preachers  there,  and 
two  churches  with  about  400  members.  Mrs.  Marilla  B. 
Ingalls  is  the  human  agency  that  has  accompHshed  this 
transformation.  She  and  her  husband  came  to  Burma  as 
missionaries  in  185 1.  Left  a  widow  six  years  later,  she 
selected  Thongze  for  her  home  and  bravely  took  up  her 
work. 

She  has  met  with  marked  success  in  winning  Buddhist 
priests  to  Christianity.  She  has  trained  many  native  preach- 
ers. She  has  founded  schools  and  libraries,  often  herself  ful- 
filling the  functions  of  architect  and  builder.  She  has  ad- 
ministered medical  aid  to  hundreds  of  sufferers.  She  has 
gone  from  house  to  house  carrying  the  glad  tidings  of  the 
gospel.  Many  perils  and  privations  has  she  bravely  endured 
in  following  her  calling.  Her  home  has  twice  been  burned, 
and  a  price  has  been  set  upon  her  head.  Miss  Evans,  who 
was  appointed  a  missionary  in  1871,  has  been  for  many  years 
a  co-laborer  with  Mrs.  Ingalls. 

A  field  that  presents  pecuhar  difficulties  to  the  Protestant 
missionary  is  a  Roman  Catholic  community,  where  the  peo- 
ple Uve  in  superstitious  ignorance  under  the  complete  domi- 
nation of  the  Catholic  priesthood.  Such  a  field,  unattempted 
by  missionary  effort,  existed  in  Canada  in  the  first  quarter 
of  this  century.  Perhaps  there  was  not  then  a  French  Cana- 
dian Protestant  in  the  whole  country  ;  to-day  there  are  thou- 
sands of  them.  Several  Protestant  denominations  have  had 
a  share  in  bringing  about  this  result.  Among  the  missionary 
workers  who  opened  the  way  for  others  by  driving  the  enter- 
ing wedge  into  the  unbroken  front  of  Romanism,  the  leading 
spirit  was  Madame  Feller.  There  is  no  human  skill  that 
could  now  estimate  the  extent  of  Madame  Feller's  influence 
in  all  its  radiations.  Following  is  a  brief  sketch  of  the  life 
and  work  of  this  remarkable  woman  : 

Henrietta  Odin  was  born  in  Switzerland,  in  the  year  1800, 
of  Protestant  parents.  Although  she  joined  the  national 
church  of  her  country  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  she  had  at  that 
time  no  knowledge  of  the  doctrine  of  regeneration.  She 
felt  a  lack  in  her  religious  experience,  but  as  the  church 
which  had  become  spiritually  dead  could  offer  her  no  help, 


422      BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

she  sought  happiness  in  society,  where  her  naturally  vivacious 
temperament,  her  brilliancy,  and  her  quick  sympathies  made 
her  very  popular.  After  her  marriage,  a  religious  revival  in 
Lausanne,  the  city  where  she  lived,  threw  society  into  a  ver- 
itable commotion.  Those  who  received  the  newly  expounded 
evangelical  truth  became  subjects  of  government  persecution. 
Madame  Feller  was  deeply  moved  by  the  preaching  which  she 
heard,  and  at  last,  after  passing  through  a  period  of  intense 
darkness,  she  found  perfect  peace  in  God. 

Madame  Feller  was  still  a  young  woman  when  she  lost, 
first,  her  only  child,  and  soon  after,  her  husband.  Her 
grief  was  extreme,  but  she  bore  bravely  up.  She  now  began 
to  devote  her  time  and  strength  to  works  of  charity.  •  She  be- 
came so  well  known  for  the  instruction  and  consolation  which 
she  administered  to  those  in  trouble  that  she  often  received 
letters  from  the  distressed  in  other  cities  asking  for  help  and 
advice.  In  the  year  1834  she  received  from  a  very  dear  friend 
of  hers,  Madame  Olivier,  who  had  recently  gone  with  her 
husband  on  a  rehgious  mission  to  Canada,  letters  describing  the 
pitiable  condition  of  the  French  Canadians.  The  year  fol- 
lowing the  Oliviers  found  themselves  reinforced  by  Madame 
Feller  and  a  Mr.  Roussy,  a  fellow  church-member  of  hers. 

Madame  Feller  had  since  her  husband's  death,  through 
independent  study  of  the  New  Testament,  adopted  the  Bap- 
tist principle,  that  only  believers  are  proper  subjects  for  bap- 
tism. The  question  of  immersion,  however,  had  not  occurred 
to  her.  The  Oliviers  had  become  Baptists  on  their  voyage 
across  the  ocean  and  after  their  arrival  in  Montreal  had  been 
immersed.  So  it  happened  that  from  the  first  the  mission- 
aries naturally  identified  themselves  with  Baptists.  When 
the  Oliviers,  before  the  plans  of  work  were  matured,  were 
obliged  by  considerations  of  health  to  return  home,  they  left 
Madame  Feller  and  Mr.  Roussy  to  carry  on  the  undertaking, 
as  best  they  could,  alone.  A  village  called  Grande  Ligne, 
about  twenty  miles  from  Montreal,  became  the  seat  of  their 
mission.  Madame  Feller  opened  a  school  in  the  garret  of  a 
friendly  house.  She  began  with  about  twenty  children,  whom 
she  instructed  all  day,  while  in  the  evening  she  conducted  a 
class  for  adults.  Such  was  the  beginning  of  the  Feller  Insti- 
tute. Meanwhile,  Mr.  Roussy  established  a  number  of 
preaching  stations  in  the  vicinity,  one  of  which  was  at  Grande 
Ligne.  Conversions  from  Romanism  took  place  rapidly,  in 
spite  of  opposition  from  the  priests. 

Financial  support  for  Madame  Feller's  school,  after  she 
had  exhausted  her  own  private  fortune,  was  received  from 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY      423 

various  sources.  The  Baptists  of  Montreal  interested  them- 
selves in  her  work,  and  as  time  went  on,  Madame  Feller, 
with  friends  of  her  mission,  made  tours  in  the  United  States, 
collecting  funds.  She  was  also  generously  aided  by  her  church 
in  Switzerland.  In  1840  a  mission  house  was  built  for  her 
use,  containing  a  chapel,  schoolroom,  and  accommodations 
for  boarding  pupils. 

One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  that  Madame  Feller  had  to 
contend  with  was  the  bitter  opposition  of  the  priests  and  often 
the  violence  of  mobs.  The  conversion,  however,  of  a  very 
intelligent  and  well-educated  young  priest,  and  the  addition 
of  his  influence  and  labors  to  the  mission  force,  greatly  in- 
creased its  strength.  As  the  work  widened,  and  schools  and 
churches  were  established  in  neighboring  towns,  it  became 
more  difficult  to  meet  the  increasing  expenses.  Assistance 
was  sought  and  obtained  first  from  the  Canada  Baptist 
Missionary  Society,  and  later  from  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society.  Although  Madame  Feller  and  Mr. 
Roussy  had  never  formally  connected  themselves  with  the 
Baptist  denomination,  they  had  acted  in  accordance  with 
Baptist  principles,  and  now  their  choice  of  patronage  seemed 
entirely  appropriate.  In  November,  1855,  the  Feller  Insti- 
tute, so  called,  a  school  for  girls,  was  opened  at  Longueil 
with  twenty-six  pupils.  The  school  at  Grande  Ligne  was 
reserved  for  the  education  of  young  men. 

Madame  Feller,  exhausted  at  last  by  her  almost  super- 
human labors,  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight,  in  1868.  She 
had  been  engaged  in  her  mission  work  for  over  thirty-two 
years.  She  and  Mr.  Roussy  came  to  Montreal  unknown, 
unbefriended,  alone,  and  without  definite  plans  of  work. 
Now  fifteen  mission  stations,  and  nine  churches  had  been 
established.  The  school  at  Grande  Ligne  was  attended  by 
thirty-four  young  men,  and  the  Feller  Institute  at  Longueil 
was  prospering.  Many  day  schools  in  connection  with  the 
missions  were  in  operation.  The  secret  of  Madame  Feller's 
wonderful  power  was  her  large  outflowing  afi'ection.  She 
had  a  mother's  influence  over  the  hearts  of  her  pupils  and 
associates. 

An  army  of  devoted  and  patient  women  is  toiling  among 
the  freedmen  of  the  South,  bringing  the  hght  of  the  gospel 
into  homes  darkened  by  superstition  and  ignorance. 

A  leader  in  this  army  is  Miss  Joanna  P.  Moore.  It  was 
not  without  a  struggle  that  Miss  Moore,  a  recent  graduate  of 
Rockford  Seminary,  relinquished  long-cherished  hopes  and 
plans  to  respond  to  a  call  from  the  South.      She  began  her 


424     BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

life-work  on  Island  Number  Ten,  in  the  Mississippi  River, 
November,  1863.  When  she  landed  on  the  desolate  shore 
of  the  island,  where  1,100  Negro  women  and  children  were 
perishing  for  want  of  food  and  clothing,  she  found  plenty 
of  work  for  hand  as  well  as  heart.  There  was  nothing  ro- 
mantic or  picturesque  to  please  the  fancy  of  a  young  girl 
in  the  course  upon  which  she  was  entering.  Little  was  the 
reward  to  be  looked  for  in  the  gratitude  of  the  degraded 
and  ignorant  for  whom  her  hfe  was  being  expended,  and 
often  it  required  courage  to  bear  the  contempt  of  the 
Southern  white  people  for  a  laborer  among  the  despised  race 
— contempt  which  she  has  long  since  triumphantly  lived 
down.  During  the  thirty-eight  years  of  her  service  Miss 
Moore,  desiring  to  reach  as  many  homes  as  possible,  has  dis- 
tributed her  labors  among  various  cities  and  towns  of  Missis- 
sippi, Alabama,  Arkansas,  and  Georgia.  She  is  now  at 
Nashville,  where  she  is  in  charge  of  a  training  class  for  wives 
and  mothers  in  the  Nashville  Home. 

She  has  done  much  house-to-house  visitation,  endeavoring 
to  train  mothers  to  care  for  their  homes  and  children.  In 
1885  she  started  a  monthly  paper,  "  Hope,"  which  now  goes 
into  8,000  homes,  making  them  brighter  and  purer  with 
its  words  of  practical  advice,  and  its  message  of  love  and 
encouragement.  In  1888  she  established  at  Baton  Rouge, 
La. ,  a  boarding  school  for  the  training  of  mothers.  In 
1892  she  organized  "The  Fireside  School,"  of  which  her 
paper,  "Hope,"  is  the  organ.  The  Fireside  School  is  a 
school  conducted  at  home  around  the  fireside.  The  pupils 
are  the  parents  and  children,  and  the  parents  are  also  the 
teachers.  The  family  is  expected  to  read  each  year  an  as- 
signed course  of  study  which  includes  such  books  as  "Peep 
of  Day, "  a  "  Temperance  Reader, "  "  Black  Beauty, "  "  Story 
of  the  Bible,"  etc.  Miss  Moore,  writing  of  the  results  of 
these  schools,  says:  "Thousands  of  wives  and  mothers  who 
were  sitting  in  helpless  ignorance  have  through  our  paper, 
and  other  agencies  it  has  set  to  work,  learned  how  to  read." 

Spelman  Seminary,  a  school  for  colored  girls  in  Atlanta, 
Georgia,  before  it  had  attained  substantial  form,  was  a  noble 
conception  in  the  minds  of  two  women,  and  to  their  practical 
faith  in  their  own  ideals  the  institution  owes  its  present  exist- 
ence. These  two  women  were  Miss  Sophia  B.  Packard  and 
Miss  Harriet  E.  Giles.  In  the  year  1881,  Miss  Packard  and 
Miss  Giles,  being  deeply  interested  in  the  elevation  of  the 
freedmen,  opened  a  school  in  the  basement  of  the  Friendship 
Church,  in  Atlanta.      Desiring  a  broader  field  for  their  influ- 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY     425 

ence  they  soon  after  this  began  to  interest  others  in  their 
work,  with  the  result  that  subscriptions  to  it,  coming  slowly 
at  first,  and  often  not  without  words  of  wise-headed  discourage- 
ment, finally  poured  in  from  many  sources — from  the  abun- 
dance of  the  rich  and  from  the  savings  of  the  poor,  from  the 
very  destitution  of  the  eager  Afro-Americans  themselves. 

Miss  Packard  died  in  1891,  leaving  her  friend,  Miss  Giles, 
to  carry  on  the  enterprise  so  well  begun.  The  latter  secured 
the  services  of  Miss  L.  H.  Upton,  a  woman  of  fine  Christian 
culture,  as  associate  principal,  and  the  good  work  continues. 
At  present  the  seminary  has  eleven  buildings  and  about 
fourteen  acres  of  land. 

Of  the  Baptist  women  who  have  made  for  themselves  a 
name  in  the  field  of  hterature,  we  have  already  mentioned 
two,  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Judson,  and  Mrs.  Emily  C.  Judson 
(Fanny  Forrester),  both  of  them  renowned  also  as  foreign 
missionaries. 

Miss  Mary  Johnston,  a  young  woman  recently  emerged 
into  the  full  light  of  fame  as  the  author  of  the  marvelously 
popular  historical  romance,  "To  Have  and  to  Hold,"  al- 
though not  known  for  any  distinctively  rehgious  contribution 
to  literature,  does  honor  to  the  Baptist  denomination, 

Mrs.  Hannah  Chaplin  Conant,  wife  of  the  Rev.  Thomas 
J.  Conant,  was  the  author  of  a  number  of  valuable  and  learned 
books.  In  1844  she  published  a  translation  from  the  Ger- 
man of  Dr.  G.  F.  A.  Strauss'  "Lea,  or  the  Baptism  in  Jor- 
dan." Later  followed  translations  of  the  commentaries  of 
Neander  on  the  Epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Philippians,  the  Epis- 
tle of  James,  and  the  First  Epistle  of  John.  In  1855  was 
published  her  first  extended  original  work,  a  biography  of 
Adoniram  Judson,  the  great  missionary  to  Burma,  entitled 
"  The  Earnest  Man."  In  1857  appeared  her  translation  of 
H.  F.  Uhden's  "The  New  England  Theocracy,"  an  ex- 
haustive and  discriminating  treatise  on  the  early  ecclesiastical 
polity  of  the  Puritans.  Her  most  important  original  work 
was  "A  Popular  History  of  English  Bible  Translation,"  pub- 
lished in  1856,  a  work  of  great  erudition,  covering  the  period 
from  Wycliffe's  time  to  the  issue  of  the  King  James',  or  Com- 
mon version  of  161 1.  She  was  also  a  frequent  contributor 
to  literary  and  religious  periodicals,  and  the  translator  of 
several  of  Gustav  Meritz's  stories  for  children.  Amid  all  her 
domestic  cares  she  found  time  not  only  for  her  own  extensive 
literary  labors,  but  for  aiding  her  husband  in  his  learned  in- 
vestigations. She  possessed  a  thorough  mastery  of  the  Ger- 
man language  and  literature,  and  a  working  knowledge  of 


426     BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

Greek,  Latin,  and  French,  and  was  widely  read  in  English 
literature.  She  was  -a  woman  of  strong  Christian  faith,  a 
devoted  mother,  a  true  helpmate  to  her  husband,  and  the 
center  of  a  choice  circle  of  warmly  attached  friends.  She 
had  unusual  breadth  of  view,  absolute  sincerity  of  heart 
and  mind,  brightened  by  a  keen  sense  of  humor  and  a 
hearty  appreciation  of  excellence  in  others. 

Mrs.  Caroline  Atwater  Mason  holds  a  high  rank  among 
the  authors  of  the  day.  The  titles  of  some  of  her  books  are, 
"A  Titled  Maiden,"  ''A  Loyal  Heart,"  "A  Minister  of 
Carthage, "  "  The  Quiet  King, "  "  A  Minister  of  the  World, ' ' 
"A  Wind  Flower."  Mrs.  Mason's  latest  book,  which  may 
be  called  her  first  novel  of  full  proportions  is  entitled  ' '  A 
Woman  of  Yesterday."  Of  the  general  purpose  of  Mrs. 
Mason's  literary  work  this  might  be  said  :  it  seeks  to  show 
the  inner  workings  of  the  spirit  of  men  and  women  who  con- 
tend in  various  lines  for  faith  and  duty  with  the  spirit  of  self 
and  sin  in  its  various  manifestations. 

Miss  Marshall  Saunders,  by  her  "Beautiful  Joe,"  a  true 
classic,  has  won  for  herself  an  eager  following  of  Httle  readers. 
"Beautiful  Joe"  cultivates  a  kindly  sympathy  for  dogs,  as 
' '  Black  Beauty  ' '  for  horses. 

The  family  department,  entitled  "Hours  at  Home"  of 
"The  Standard,"  Chicago,  has  for  the  past  twenty-four 
years  been  admirably  conducted  by  Mrs.  James  S.  Dicker- 
son.  Mrs.  Dickerson  is  an  author  of  marked  abihty  and 
earnest  purpose.  Besides  her  frequent  contributions  to  her 
department  of  "The  Standard,"  she  has  written  a  life  of  her 
husband,  which  for  its  literary  excellence,  as  well  as  for  the 
story  told,  deserves  an  honored  place  among  the  biographies 
of  the  century. 

Mrs.  Sallie  Rochester  Ford  is  associated  with  her  husband, 
S.  H.  Ford,  in  the  editorship  of  "Ford's  Christian  Repository 
and  Home  Circle,"  St.  Louis.  Mrs.  Ford  is  the  author  of  a 
number  of  works  of  fiction  serious  in  their  purpose.  "  Grace 
Truman,"  perhaps  the  most  popular  of  her  books,  has  done 
much  to  make  clear  Baptist  belief  with  regard  to  baptism  and 
the  Lord's  Supper.  "Evangel  Wiseman"  was  written  to 
show  that  believers  in  Christ  are  the  only  proper  subjects  for 
baptism.  In  "  Mary  Bunyan,  The  Dreamer's  Blind  Daugh- 
ter," the  purpose  of  the  author  is  to  set  forth  the  scriptural 
view  of  liberty  of  conscience,  and  to  make  manifest  the  great 
truth  that  faith  overcomes.  "The  Inebriates"  champions 
the  cause  of  temperance. 

We  have  mentioned  only  a  very  few  of  the  Baptist  women 


BAPTIST  WOMEN  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY     427 

who  have  helped  to  make  the  world  better  during  this  nine- 
teenth century.  There  are  a  hundred  others  of  more  or  less 
general  reputation,  and  thousands  known  only  in  their  own 
immediate  circles,  who  by  filling  well  their  places,  have  made 
possible  the  progress  that  has  thus  far  been  achieved.  Beyond 
the  seas,  among  the  neglected  in  the  home  land,  in  the  walks 
of  literature,  Baptist  women  have  wielded  a  steady  influence, 
not  the  less  effective  because  often  obscurely  exerted.  In 
all  lines  of  Christian  work  the  quahties  that  are  distinctively 
womanly  are  needed,  and  always  will  be  needed,  as  long  as 
there  are  sick  people  to  be  cared  for,  children  to  be  trained, 
ignorant  mothers  to  be  instructed,  broken  hearts  to  be  com- 
forted, hungry  souls  to  be  fed,  morsel  by  morsel,  with  saving 
truth. 

Maud  Wilkinson. 


XXVIII 

MOVEMENTS  OF  BAPTIST  THEOLOGICAL 
THOUGHT  DURING  THE  NINE- 
TEENTH CENTURY 


Baptists  in  America  in  the  nineteenth  century  have  been 
in  many  ways  more  hke  the  primitive  Christians  of  the  first 
century  than  like  any  other.  Simphcity  of  faitli  and  direct- 
ness of  service  have  been  noteworthy  characteristics  of  our 
life.  We  have  been  largely  engrossed  in  preaching  the  gospel 
and  in  planting  churches  everywhere.  The  century  has  been 
full  of  pioneer  work.  We  have  gone  from  village  to  village, 
town  to  town,  city  to  city,  preaching  the  call  to  an  immediate 
repentance  and  to  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  This  explains  our 
extraordinary  increase  in  numbers.  It  has  put  us  in  the  fore- 
front of  the  Protestant  bodies.  It  has  been  also  the  reason 
for  the  comparative  simplicity  of  our  faith  and  life.  The 
thought  of  Baptists  has,  therefore,  in  tliis  century  been  very 
largely  turned  toward  practical  administration,  organization 
of  work,  and  all  that  belongs  to  establishing  an  ordered 
church  life,  and  very  little  toward  the  framing  of  specula- 
tive or  of  theological  systems.  Philosophies  have  influenced 
only  in  a  limited  way  the  great  body  of  our  people  hitherto. 

The  unexampled  growth  and  development  of  the  new 
world,  both  in  material  resources  and  in  population,  have 
concentrated  our  thought  and  energies  upon  pioneer  evan- 
gelization, and  the  founding  of  institutions,  philanthropic, 
educational,  and  missionary.  Each  exciting  epoch  of  our 
Baptist  history  has  for  the  most  part  centered  in  some  prac- 
tical reform  or  in  some  aggressive  action  looking  toward  the 
regeneration  or  the  betterment  of  mankind.  The  pioneer 
preacher,  planting  little  churches  in  the  great  wilderness,  his 
library  in  his  saddle-bags,  his  study  in  his  saddle,  and  his 
meeting-house  a  log  cabin  or  the  shade  of  a  tree,  is  the 
typical  feature  of  our  life  in  the  first  three-quarters  of  the 
century.      Time  was  scant  for  developing  theological  systems. 

Men's  thoughts  were  occupied  rather  with  the  quick  con- 
428 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  429 

quest  of  communities  of  men  for  Christ,  and  in  putting  into 
execution  the  most  practical  and  efficient  plans  for  compass- 
ing that  great  service.  The  people  had  scant  appetite  for 
speculation.  The  subduing  of  prairies,  forests,  rivers,  and 
mountains  ;  the  coping  with  wild  beasts,  savages,  and  the 
strangeness  of  new  surroundings  ;  the  mastery  of  new  condi- 
tions of  life  ;  the  building  of  cabin,  schoolhouse,  meeting- 
house, and  every  other  evidence  of  an  ordered  civilization  ; 
the  formulating  of  new  laws  and  of  new  political  compacts  ; 
the  organization  of  new  social  relations,  new  racial  neighbor- 
liness,  and  a  new  social  future  ;  the  planting  of  the  academy, 
the  college,  and  the  theological  school ;  all  these  things  were 
born  out  of  struggle,  and  the  intensest  application  of  shrewd 
common  sense  to  the  every  day  affairs  of  human  life.  The 
lack  of  an  educated  ministry  and  of  an  educated  laity  as  well 
tended  toward  the  same  practicalities. 

Preaching  was  azoic  in  its  simplicity,  literalness,  and  direct- 
ness. Current  philosophies  appear  to  have  had  httle  influ- 
ence on  our  preachers.  French  infidelity,  whose  brilliant 
reign  in  the  United  States  during  the  last  quarter  of  the 
eighteenth  and  the  first  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  centuries 
seems  to  have  been  a  congenial  sequel  to  the  social  and  moral 
chaos  incident  to  the  Revolutionary  War,  was  met  by  us  not 
with  intellectual  subtleties  of  argument,  but  by  a  rigid  appH- 
cation  of  biblical  truth  to  the  consciences  of  men.  The  very 
words  of  Scripture  were  an  answer  to  the  scintillating  bonmots 
of  Jefferson,  Franklin,  and  a  host  of  small  imitators  who  were 
hostile  to  Christianity.  Sneers  at  morality,  jests  at  rehgion, 
and  the  whirl  of  worldly  pleasure  were  met  by  a  "thus  saith 
the  Lord,"  or  the  thunders  of  a  prophesied  judgment. 

But  the  steady  mastery  of  our  material  resources  and  the 
growth  of  our  urban  life  have  been  steadily  ushering  us  into 
the  complexities  of  the  older  civilizations.  Our  educational 
institutions  have  multiphed.  Our  ministers  who  have  become 
educated  are  already  a  host.  Educated  laymen  sit  in  our 
pews.  There  are  evidences  that  we  are  on  the  eve  of  a  new 
era  in  our  history,  and  that  we  are  to  take  our  place  in  the 
twentieth  century  as  contributors  to  organized  theological 
thought  and  to  have  a  share  in  molding  the  profounder  intel- 
lectual life  of  our  nation.  How  this  will  change  the  form 
and  affect  the  growth  of  our  denominational  life  it  is  not  for 
me  to  hazard  even  a  guess,  but  that  it  will  change  our  cor- 
porate life  in  many  ways  there  can  be  no  doubt.  We  are 
already  toilers  in  wide  realms  of  speculative  thought  and  are 
woven  into  the  cultured  life  of  our  time. 


430    MOVEMENTS    OF    BAPTIST    THEOLOGICAL    THOUGHT 

It  is  a  notable  fact,  and  confirmatory  of  what  has  been  said 
about  our  lack  of  share  in  the  thoughtful  life  of  the  century, 
that  we  have  had  no  published  Baptist  work  in  systeniatic 
theology  until  within  the  last  twenty-five  years.  No  school 
of  thought,  either  philosophic  or  theological,  has  developed 
among  us.  Nor  is  it  because  we  have  had  no  profound 
thinkers,  but  rather  because  hitherto  our  spirit  has  led  us 
into  administrative  and  executive  service.  There  are  some 
evidences  now  that  this  is  not  to  remain  true  of  us,  but  that 
there  may  arise  some  diversities  of  thought  which  can  be 
harmonized  only  in  our  consciousness  of  a  larger  unity. 

Our  preaching  of  to-day,  whenever  it  departs  from  its  earlier 
and  simple  biblical  form,  it  is  to  be  feared,  concerns  itself 
more  with  the  scientific  and  philosophical  explanation  of 
things  than  with  the  things  themselves.  Philosophies  of  sin 
and  redemption,  of  guilt  and  atonement,  of  spirit  and  matter, 
of  incarnation  and  immanence,  of  man  and  God,  are  more 
discussed  and  urged  than  the  facts  themselves  as  vital  reali- 
ties. A  hundred  years  ago  the  facts  themselves,  with  httle 
explanation  of  them,  in  all  their  plain  and  moving  reality, 
were  urged  upon  men  and  were  mightily  persuasive. 

It  is  doubtful,  now  that  the  emphasis  has  been  transferred 
from  the  facts  to  the  philosophy  of  them,  if  the  facts  are  as 
vividly  real  as  to  the  men  of  earlier  generations.  Another 
hundred  years  may  restore  equilibrium,  and  out  of  the  syn- 
thesis of  fact  and  the  explanation  of  fact  may  give  a  power 
and  realism  to  them  which  is  confessedly  wanting  to-day. 

The  Bible  has  always  been  both  law  and  authority  among 
us,  but  the  grounds  for  such  unqualified  acceptance  have  some- 
what shifted  during  the  century.  Verbal  inspiration,  which 
carried  with  it  the  assurance  that  what  it  recorded  was  a  divine 
revelation,  because  it  was  so  recorded  by  inspiration,  was  gen- 
erally held  both  in  the  North  and  the  South,  It  was  like 
the  "ten  words  "  of  the  law  written  by  the  finger  of  Jehovah. 
The  Scriptures  were  accepted  unquestioningly  as  the  very 
words  of  God.  A  crass  verbal  theory  barred  the  way  against 
any  inquiry  into  the  grounds  of  authority.  Inspiration  re- 
quired that  what  it  recorded  should  be  accepted  as  revelation  ; 
in  other  words,  inspiration  was  the  primal  attestation  to  reve- 
lation. To-day  this  position  is  reversed  and  revelation  attests 
inspiration. 

Baptists  now  appear  to  accept  the  authority  of  the  Scrip- 
tures chiefly  because  of  the  Christian  consciousness  of  their 
eternal  fitness  to  be  the  words  of  God.  God,  who  has  been 
realized  in  experience,  is  the  final,  critical  test  which  is  ap- 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  43  I 

plied  to  everything  which  purports  to  be  a  divine  revelation. 
The  real  and  ultimate  grounds  of  acceptance  are  the  affirma- 
tions of  Christian  consciousness.  The  verbal  theory  itself  has 
been  modified  so  as  to  allow  for  the  free  play  of  the  human 
element  in  inspired  utterance.  Clearly  the  inspired  writers 
are  not  automatons.  IMan,  viewed  with  a  truer  conception 
of  his  freedom,  appears  in  a  new  light,  both  as  the  receiver 
and  the  recorder  of  a  revelation.  The  dynamic,  the  religious, 
and  the  gracious  theories  of  inspiration  all  rest  fundaihentally 
on  the  Christian  consciousness  as  the  final  arbiter  of  what  is 
or  is  not  a  divine  revelation. 

The  deep  ethical  consciousness  in  man  critically  attests 
whether  what  purports  to  be  a  revelation  recorded  by  inspira- 
tion is  one  or  not,  and  this  attestation  antedates  inspiration. 
The  criterion  is  that  it  is  consonant  with  the  ethical  nature  of 
man  which  answers  to  the  ethical  nature  of  God.  Man  in 
the  darkness  which  he  has  gathered  about  himself  harks  to 
hsten  for  the  voice  of  God.  When  he  hears  him  whom  he 
was  created  to  hear,  and  that  message  which  through  creation 
he  is  capable  of  hearing,  his  sense  of  fitness,  of  consumma- 
tion, he  calls  the  evidence  of  the  presence  of  the  supernatu- 
ral. This  revelation  may  be  his  condemnation  or  his  assur- 
ance of  blessedness,  but  it  is  the  assured  presence  of  the 
supernatural.  It  was  the  call  of  God  to  Adam  in  the  garden 
in  the  cool  of  the  day.  It  is  the  call  of  God  to  man  in  the 
darkness  of  sin  and  guilt. 

Christian  consciousness  affirms  both  God  and  the  call ; 
both  the  fitness  of  the  revelation  for  the  soul  and  our  own 
God  given  ethical  capacity  to  respond.  The  key  and  the  lock 
were  made  to  fit  each  other.  Men  do  not  to-day  accept 
revelation  or  inspiration  upon  any>4external  authority  either 
of  faith  or  tradition  or  history.  Hence  the  methods  of  his- 
torical criticism,  which  seemed  for  a  while  to  its  friends  a  ma- 
gician's wand,  both  to  destroy  and  to  construct,  is  distinctly 
a  failure,  in  so  far  as  it  either  confirms  or  denies  the  authority 
of  the  Scriptures.  It  can,  in  a  superficial  way,  show  errors 
made  in  transmission  through  copyists.  It  can  throw  interest- 
ing sidelights  of  historic  environment  upon  the  men  and  times 
of  bibUcal  history  ;  but  it  can  no  more  touch  the  ultimate 
grounds  of  the  authority  of  the  Scriptures  than  water  can  be 
a  sensitive  test  of  golden  ore.  It  is  the  Christian  conscious- 
ness which  stubbornly  asserts  that  God  has  made  a  revela- 
tion, and  recorded  it  through  men  in  accurate  forms  which 
fit  it  for  its  use.  The  treatment  of  the  Scriptures  as  htera- 
ture  ;  the  free  historical  criticism  ;  the  grounding  of  them  on 


432    MOVEMENTS    OF    BAPTIST    THEOLOGICAL    THOUGHT 

naturalism,  however  lofty  ;  the  attempts  to  explain  them  as 
merely  inspired  human  utterances — all  fail  because  of  the  in- 
contestible  evidence  in  the  soul  of  man  that  they  are  really 
the  words  which  God  is  speaking  to  men.  It  is  in  this  region 
where  the  ethical  nature  of  man  responds  to  the  ethical  na- 
ture of  God,  harks  up  to  him  as  its  creator  and  pattern,  that 
the  conviction  of  the  supernaturalism  of  the  book  is  formed. 
It  is  not  man  speaking  to  man.  That  lies  in  the  realm  of 
pure  naturalism.  That  would  be  literature  only,  even  though 
it  were  of  an  exceedingly  lofty  type  and  were  the  utterance 
of  an  ideally  perfect  man.  But  it  is  God  speaking  to  man, 
and  the  quick,  uncontrollable  response  of  the  nature  of  man 
to  God  is  the  evidence  of  the  revelation. 

There  are  manifold  theories  to  explain  the  co-operative 
relation  of  God  and  man  in  inspiration,  but  these  concern 
only  the  method,  and,  indirectly,  the  fact.  There  seems  to 
be  among  us  something  of  a  drift  toward  verbalism,  which  is 
not  the  old  verbal  theory  resting  on  external  authority  and 
mechanical  in  action,  but  one  which  feels  that  there  is  an 
ethical  fitness  and  therefore  an  ethical  necessity  in  reporting 
the  revelation  of  God  in  accurate  terms  which  are  not  left  to 
the  caprice  of  the  human  writers.  The  restatement  of  the 
doctrine  of  inspiration  is  yet  to  come  ;  but  whatever  its  form, 
evidently  it  is  to  include  the  idea  of  accuracy. 

There  has  been  httle  change  in  regard  to  the  statement  of 
the  doctrine  of  the  person  of  Christ.  There  has  been  an 
increasing  enrichment  of  conception  both  of  his  human  and 
of  his  divine  nature.  Baptists  have  not  been  led  very  far 
afield  by  the  widespread  humanitarian  views  of  our  Lord's 
person.  We  have  clung  tenaciously  throughout  the  century- 
long  controversies  to  the  truth  of  the  real  deity  and  the  real 
humanity  of  Christ.  Many  among  us  are  attempting  to 
study  minutely  the  "consciousness  of  Jesus  "  and  to  see  if 
the  psychological  method  will  furnish  a  new  interpretation 
of  his  deeds  and  nature.  The  earlier  method  was  the  study 
of  externalities,  his  words,  his  acts,  and  the  impressions  of 
his  contemporaries. 

Little  attention  was  given  to  his  consciousness.  Preach- 
ing, therefore,  presented  Christ  in  very  concrete  forms  and 
with  a  bodily  reahsm  which  is  somewhat  wanting  in  the  later 
method.  The  only  means  of  knowing  the  consciousness  of 
Jesus  is  through  his  words  and  acts,  and  it  is  possible  for  men 
to  read  into  it  their  own  prejudgments.  Hence  the  latest 
method,  fascinating  as  it  may  be,  is  fraught  with  peril  to 
truth.      Men  are   tempted   to   make  Jesus  what  they  would 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  433 

like  him  to  be  rather  than  what  he  is.  The  concrete  method 
must  ahvays  have  a  use  as  a  test  and  a  restraint  upon  any- 
psychological  interpretation,  and,  while  the  latter  may  add  to 
the  breadth  and  depth  of  our  knowledge  of  the  person  of 
Jesus,  it  must  needs  be  used  with  great  caution. 

The  doctrine  of  the  immanence  of  Jesus  has  been  greatly 
emphasized  at  the  end  of  the  century.  It  has  often  been 
presented  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  it  nothing  but  an  ideal- 
istic pantheism.  Dualism  is  a  settled  conviction  of  the  race, 
and  all  monistic  theories  seem  only  a  logomachy.  The  im- 
manence of  Jesus  does  not  necessarily  require  a  unity  of 
substance  in  the  universe.  The  only  conclusion  which  we 
may  be  said  to  have  reached  with  unanimity  is  that  Jesus  as 
creator,  preserver,  and  redeemer  of  the  race  of  mankind  has 
a  more  vital  relation  with  the  whole  organism  which  we  call 
mankind  than  was  formerly  believed.  The  solidarity  of  the 
race  and  the  voluntary  union  of  Jesus  with  it  by  incarnation 
make  him  to  be  in  the  race  and  of  the  race  in  no  forensic  or 
fictional  way,  but  in  a  reahty  whose  full  meaning  we  are  still 
seeking  to  understand.  It  is  at  this  point  that  modern 
thought,  in  its  struggle  for  new  knowledge,  has  put  forward 
the  teachings  of  atonement  by  incarnation,  the  salvation  of 
all  men  ultimately  by  reason  of  Jesus'  vital  union  with  the 
race,  and  the  probation  after  death.  It  is  urged  that  men 
who  have  not  heard  or  have  not  received  the  gospel  may  yet 
have  many  opportunities  to  accept  Christ  through  a  further 
hearing  of  the  gospel,  and  that  thus  his  immanence  in  the 
race  will  in  the  end  insure  the  salvation  of  all  men. 

The  theory  of  evolution  in  the  realm  of  biology  has  given 
us  a  new  conception  of  mankind  as  one  great  organism.  But 
Christian  thought  has  not  yet  reached  a  satisfactory  dogmatic 
conclusion  in  regard  to  our  Lord's  union  with  it  by  incarna- 
tion. It  has  reached  one  and  a  necessary  conclusion,  that 
this  union  is  real  and  vital,  not  theoretical  and  mechanical. 

The  reopening  of  the  question  of  the  origin  of  evil,  of  race 
sin  as  well  as  individual  sin  ;  of  race  penalties  as  well  as  indi- 
vidual penalties  ;  of  how  far  the  union  of  Christ  with  the  race 
lifted  both  kinds  of  penalty  ;  to  what  extent  incarnation  marks 
Christ  to  be  in  every  man  and  every  man  in  him  ;  of  the  view 
that,  as  Adam's  sin  penetrated  efficiently  the  whole  organism 
of  mankind,  so  will  the  leaven  of  Christ's  righteousness  pene- 
trate with  equal  efficiency  the  same  total  organism  ;  that  the 
incarnation  of  Jesus  implies  his  immanence  in  the  whole  race 
and  in  every  individual  of  it,  so  that  finally  there  will  be  no 
alienated  soul — these  form  a  legacy  of  questions  which  the  old 

2C 


434    MOVEMENTS    OF    BAPTIST    THEOLOGICAL    THOUGHT 

century  has  left  in  the  minds  of  a  muUitude  of  men.  The  evolu- 
tionary theory  in  its  re-emphasis  on  mankind  as  an  undivided 
organism  started  them,  but  can  by  no  means  answer  them. 
Tlie  idea  of  redemption  by  incarnation  eliminates  the  cross 
as  a  prime  factor,  and  the  whole  incarnate  hfe  of  Christ, 
including  his  cross,  is  made  the  new  vitahzing  power  in  the 
whole  body  of  mankind,  once  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins. 
To  answer  these  queries  a  new  study  of  the  nature,  freedom, 
and  responsibility  of  the  individual  human  will  must  be  made, 
and  also  of  the  relation  of  the  immanence  of  God  to  it.  Is 
there  an  element  of  necessity  in  transmitted  sin  and  also  in 
imparted  righteousness,  so  that  men  are  not  wholly  free  in 
the  one  or  the  other?  Stripped  of  all  disguises,  these  ques- 
tions may  all  be  summed  up  in  one,  Will  God  certainly  and 
finally  save  all  men?  A  small  group  of  Baptists  is  answering 
this  question  equivocally,  but  the  great  mass  of  them  do  not 
so  answer.  They  adhere  unhesitatingly  to  the  Master's 
words,  "He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved, 
but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned."  They  see  the 
awful  realism  in  these  two  great  and  eternally  separated  classes. 
There  is  a  "  great  gulf  fixed  between  them."  Baptists  are 
everywhere  proclaiming  the  "cross  of  Christ  "  as  the  central 
fact  in  redemption  and  as  the  climax  of  God's  self-expression 
of  love  in  Jesus  Christ. 

The  realistic  phraseology  concerning  cross,  crucifixion, 
blood,  death,  and  tomb  may  not  be  used  in  so  gross  a  way  as 
formerly  but  the  sublime  facts,  the  living  truths  which  lie 
under  them,  are  just  as  strongly  emphasized  as  of  old,  and 
the  personal  appropriation  of  Christ  is  both  the  ground  and 
the  evidence  of  salvation. 

The  emphasis  of  formulated  dogmatic  thinking  upon  the 
doctrine  of  the  atonement  still  rests  very  largely  upon  the 
results  of  it  as  a  method  of  redemption.  The  nature  and 
necessity  of  it,  not  as  growing  primarily  out  of  the  fall  of  man 
but  as  having  its  ethical  necessity  in  the  self-unfolding  of  the 
nature  of  God,  need  a  new  study  and  statement.  The  pres- 
ent moral,  governmental,  vicarious,  and  vital  theories  are 
chiefly  illustrations  of  how  the  atonement  affects  men.  They 
are  the  varied  expHcations  of  the  method  of  its  working. 
Naturally  this  would  be  an  outstanding  feature  of  the  doc- 
trine if  it  is  to  have  influence  with  men.  But  broader  specu- 
lative thinking,  the  newer  study  of  mankind  as  an  organism, 
the  vital  identification  of  Christ  with  it  through  incarnation, 
as  well  as  the  present  insistence  of  so  many  thinkers  that  re- 
demption is  by  incarnation,  are  enforcing  the  necessity  of  a 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  435 

new  study  of  the  nature  of  the  atonement  and  especially  of 
its  origin  in  God.  Whatever  it  is  or  is  not,  it  is  certainly 
vicarious. 

There  is  a  theory,  which  is  having  some  prevalence,  that 
Christ  is  the  evolution  of  forces  which  are  inherent  in  man 
and  that  he  is  the  climax  of  a  process  which  is  wholly  natural 
and  under  law.  It  is  affirmed  that  he  and  all  that  he  has 
done  and  has  become  was  planted  in  the  original  creation  of 
the  cosmos.  He  did  not  "come  down  from  heaven,"  from 
without  the  cosmos,  and  "come  into  the  world,"  but  he 
was  in  the  constitution  of  the  world  and  has  simply  worked 
himself  out  from  within  by  a  process  of  evolution.  The 
"  appearing  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  "  "in  the  end  of  the 
ages"  has  nothing  of  supernaturalism  in  it,  but  was  the 
naturalistic  outworking  of  an  eternal  law.  This  view  in  some 
of  its  many  phases  is,  undoubtedly,  affecting  the  thinking  of 
some  among  us  and  weakens  the  realism  of  the  cross  as  a 
supernatural  event  and  the  direct  intervention  of  his  wisdom 
and  love  for  the  salvation  of  men.  It  is  made  to  appear 
that  the  historic  evolution  of  mankind  is  the  evolution  of 
God  in  Christ,  and  that  the  evolution  of  Christ  is  the  evolu- 
tion of  mankind.  God  is  revealed  only  through  the  develop- 
ment of  mankind.  This  is  the  extreme  appHcation  of  the 
evolutionary  theory  to  the  human  race.  No  thorough-going 
view  of  the  moral  freedom  of  man  and  the  consequent  re- 
sponsibility for  his  actions  can  be  reconciled  with  this  teach- 
ing. It  leaves  man  with  no  moral  responsibility,  or  at  best 
with  only  partial  responsibility.  He  is  the  resultant  of  forces, 
whether  good  or  bad,  which  work  out  in  him  whatever  he 
becomes,  and  God  has  no  sphere  for  the  exercise  of  his  own 
freedom  in  the  realm  of  man.  The  profound  and  moving 
personal  element  in  the  atonement  is  eliminated.  But  it  is 
certain  that  the  great  majority  of  Baptists  do  not  obscure  the 
"  cross  of  Christ  "  as  the  supreme  manifestation  of  God  in  the 
salvation  of  men.  Whether  viewed  as  starting-point  or  goal  it 
must  be  central.  The  personal  element  of  God  in  it  is  what 
gives  it  its  fascination  and  its  power  as  well.  It  was  the 
supreme  disclosure  of  the  personal  God  to  the  race.  Crea- 
tion and  final  judgment  get  their  significance  from  that. 
The  whole  course  of  moral  history  must  reckon  its  latitude 
and  longitude  from  that  "  observatory  on  Calvary. "  "We 
preach  Christ  crucified  "  and  believe  him  to  be  "  the  power 
of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God. " 

Baptists  have  not  lessened,  during  the  century,  their  em- 
phasis upon  the  doctrine  of  the  regeneration  of  the  soul  by 


436    MOVEMENTS    OF    BAPTIST    THEOLOGICAL    THOUGHT 

the  word  through  the  efficient  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It 
is  the  only  door  of  entrance  into  the  new  hfe  of  the  spirit 
which  is  in  harmony  with  God.  We  have  allowed  no  substi- 
tutions or  evasions  on  this  point.  We  have  been  insistent 
from  first  to  last  that  men  must  be  born  again  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  There  has  been,  however,  a  marked  change  in  our 
views  of  Christian  nurture,  not  as  an  efficient  means,  but  as 
affording  encouraging  antecedents  and  environments  to  re- 
generation. That  "the  greatest  saints  are  made  out  of  the 
greatest  sinners  ' '  is  not  so  clear  a  creedal  belief  at  the  end  of 
the  century  as  it  was  at  the  beginning.  The  Sunday-school, 
the  Christian  Endeavor  Society,  and  many  other  organizations 
for  the  training  of  the  young,  had  their  genesis  in  the  convic- 
tion that  they  might  be  schools  which  should  beget  a  knowl- 
edge of  saving  truths,  wholesome  moral  habits,  a  clean  and 
truthful  atmosphere,  within  which  the  Holy  Ghost  will  the 
more  effectually  work  to  the  regenerating  of  the  soul.  Expe- 
rience has  justified  the  conviction.  Narrated  Christian 
experiences  do  not  show  so  keen  and  vivid  a  sense  of  per- 
sonal sin  and  guilt  as  in  earlier  generations.  The  language  of 
conversion  is  somewhat  differently  phrased  and  has  aroused 
suspicion  in  some  minds  that  conversion  is  not  so  intense  a 
reality  as  in  former  times.  The  reason  is  largely  that  con- 
versions now  are  chiefly  among  the  young,  who  have  not  had 
time  to  become  so  hardened  in  moral  revolt  against  the 
gracious  God  as  to  have  learned  the  severer  language  of  guilt 
and  condemnation. 

Perhaps  the  most  striking  doctrinal  change  and  growth  of 
the  century,  has  been  in  the  enlargement  of  our  conception 
of  the  world-wide  mission  of  the  church.  Not  since  apostolic 
times  has  the  apostolic  breadth  of  vision  and  service  been 
realized  so  fully.  Baptists  have  grown  out  of  the  narrow 
ideas  of  a  sect  and  into  the  world-wide  view  of  a  universal 
brotherhood  in  Christ  and  a  universal  church. 

The  missionary  spirit  and  adventure  have  wrought  the  change. 
We  are  no  longer  narrowed  into  the  Anglo-Saxon  race.  We 
have  carried  the  gospel  to  a  multitude  of  nations  and  races. 
We  have  planted  ourselves  in  every  continent.  The  sun 
never  sets  on  our  churches.  William  Carey  was  the  initial 
Apostle  Paul  of  our  modern  missionary  movement.  Adoniram 
Judson  gave  to  it  an  amazing  acceleration  of  power.  Francis 
Wayland  in  his  immortal  sermon,  "  On  the  Moral  Dignity  of 
the  Missionary  Enterprise,  "  lifted  it  into  its  true  place  and 
brought  it  back  again  to  the  lofty  ideals  of  our  ascended 
Lord  who  said,  "The   field   is  the  world."     We  have  come 


DURING    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  437 

to  a  larger  vision  of  ourselws  as  the  saviours  of  the  world, 
rather  than  the  saviours  of  a  town,  a  nation,  or  even  a  con- 
tinent. A  new  sense  of  wide  brotherhood,  of  obligations,  and 
of  race  uplifting  has  come  to  us.  These  all  are  signs  that 
the  swaddling  bands  of  our  childhood  and  of  our  sectarian 
interpretation  of  our  mission  in  the  world  are  giving  place  to 
the  broader  liberty  of  our  manhood  and  the  larger  service 
which  is  due  from  us  to  the  whole  world. 

Once  we  were  content  to  be  hidden  ;  now  we  are  in  the 
forefront  of  all  great  Christian  enterprises.  Once  we  despised 
education  ;  now  we  are  distancing  all  competitors  in  our 
eagerness  to  utilize  the  potencies  of  the  schools.  Once  we 
thought  mainly  of  ourselves  and  of  our  persecutors  ;  now  we 
are  meditating  the  salvation  of  the  world.  Once  we  stood 
conspicuously  for  the  Hberating  of  an  ordinance  from  ecclesi- 
astical perversion  ;  now  we  stand  for  the  largest  interpreta- 
tion and  proclamation  of  an  evangelical  faith.  Once  we 
pleaded  for  liberty  for  ourselves  to  worship  God  quietly  and 
freely  according  to  the  dictates  of  our  own  consciences ; 
now  we  are  grown  bold  to  plead  for  all  men,  hberty,  equality, 
and  fraternity.  To  such  breadth  of  doctrinal  views,  Hfe,  and 
opportunity  has  our  God  brought  us  in  the  century  now 
gone,  because  we  have  honestly  taken  for  our  work  "  togo  into 
all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature. ' '  The 
missionary  enterprise  has  given  us  a  broader  hfe  as  well  as  a 
broader  vision.  It  has  hfted  us  out  of  weakness  into  strength. 
It  has  led  us  out  of  our  hiding  to  sit  in  the  mountain-tops 
of  the  world.  The  missionary  spirit  in  action  is  itself  a  large 
and  safeguarded  interpreter  of  Christ  and  his  truth  and  in- 
evitably leads  into  a  broad  understanding  of  the  kingdom  of 
God  among  men.  There  is  no  exegesis  quite  equal  to  that 
wrought  out  by  a  loving  spirit  and  an  active,  consecrated 
life. 

We  have  insisted  in  season  and  out  of  season  upon  a 
plain,  simple,  and  honest  translation  and  interpretation  of 
the  Scriptures.  We  have  equally  insisted  upon  the  same 
plain,  simple,  and  honest  application  of  them  to  the  hves  of 
men  and  nations.  If  we  shall  ever  be  willing  to  become 
simply  analytical,  critical,  self-content,  and  self-conceited, 
God  will  bring  us  low  and  our  crown  of  glory  will  be  given  to 
another. 

No  one  of  the  great  Christian  doctrines  which  we  held  at 
the  beginning  of  the  century  has  been  abandoned  at  the 
close  of  it.  Each  one  has  gained  a  richer  content  of  mean- 
ing,  a  wider  application,    and  a  larger  appreciation.      The 


438    MOVEMENTS    OF    BAPTIST    THEOLOGICAL    THOUGHT 

century  has  wonderfully  illustrated  the  fact  "that  new  hght 
is  continually  springing  out  of  God's  word."  Baptists  have 
never  in  all  their  history  had  such  a  point  of  vantage  as  at 
the  beginning  of  the  new  century  for  carrying  the  gospel  into 
all  the  world  and  so  glorifying  their  ascended  Lord. 

Nathan  E.  Wood. 


A  GENERAL  SURVEY  OF  BAPTIST 
ACHIEVEMENTS 


A  GENERAL  survey  of  anything  so  vast  as  Baptist  achieve- 
ments in  the  nineteenth  century  must  content  itself  with  a 
glance  only  at  the  points  that  present  themselves.  It  must 
be  a  rapid  flight  on  the  wing  and  not  a  tourist's  leisurely  ex- 
amination. Others  in  this  volume  have  availed  themselves  of 
the  latter  and  it  is  ours  to  seek  to  gather  into  one  composite 
picture  the  individual  outlines  they  have  limned.  The  work 
has  been  as  hard  in  its  details  for  them  as  to  summarize  it  is 
for  us.  For  all  modern  Baptists  are,  or  have  done,  or  nearly 
so\  is  the  product  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  breaking 
forth  of  the  fountain  was  with  the  fathers,  the  broadening  of 
the  stream  and  the  generation  of  its  multiplying  branches 
have  been  with  us. 


I.    OUR    NUMBERS. 


The  century  found  us  a  feeble  folk,  it  leaves  us  a  mighty 
host.  Numbering  in  the  United  States  about  100,000  in 
1801,  at  the  dawn  of  1901  we  have  4,233,226.  In  other 
parts  of  the  world,  including  England,  while  then  we  had 
so  few,  now  we  have  779,654.  In  addition,  there  are  of 
those  who  by  kinship  of  doctrine  or  practice  are  related  to  our 
denomination,  such  as  Freewill  Baptists,  Disciples  of  Christ, 
and  the  like,  i,  705,672.  Statistics  are  not  only  dry  for  the  most 
part,  but  they  are  vague  as  well  Few  can  grasp  their  real 
significance.  ' '  INIillion  ' '  means  little  more  than  ' '  thousand ' ' 
to'most,  and  where  we  say  4,000,000  it  is  the  "four"  which 
we  can  grasp  which  means  increased  figures,  rather  than  that 
which  follows,  to  give  it  arithmetical  worth.  Perhaps  we  shall 
be  better  understood  if  we  say  that  whereas  in  1800  in  the 
United  States,  Baptists  numbered  one  to  every  fifty-three  of 
the  population,  in  1900  we  had  one  to  eighteen  of  the  vastly 
increased  numbers  in  our  country.  If  those  related  to  us  by 
similarity  of  views  are  counted  in,  and  still  further,  if  those 
adherents  of  both  ourselves  and  them  are  included,  then  the 

439 


440      A  GENERAL  SURVEY  OF  BAPTIST  ACHIEVEMENTS 

proportion  will  be,  for  the  former  one  to  sixteen,  and  for  the 
latter  one  to  eight  or  thereabout. 

This  proportion  of  growth  would  be  worth  noting  for  any 
denomination  and  be  the  legitimate  cause  of  fervent  thanks- 
giving. But  it  is  especially  the  case  with  Baptists.  Note- 
worthy for  others  it  is  wonderful  for  them.  In  the  earlier  his- 
tory of  our  country  none  had  a  good  word  for  them.  They  were 
considered  the  Ishmaelites  of  the  church.  Whipped  in  Mas- 
sachusetts, fined  in  Connecticut,  imprisoned  in  Virginia,  they 
were  hated  in  all.  Everywhere  they  were  spoken  against.  They 
were  heroes  of  faith  as  truly  as  were  those  who  form  the  cata- 
logue in  the  eleventh  of  Hebrews.  Perhaps  it  has  been  be- 
cause of  this  in  part  that  they  have  so  grown.  Somehow  in 
all  the  history  of  Jesus  Christ's  church  the  reproach  of  others 
for  him  has  flamed  into  glory,  and  the  furrow  most  made 
sacred  by  suffering  has  lain  beneath  the  most  abundant 
harvests.  Mysterious  it  may  be,  but  such  mystery  attends  the 
whole  message  of  the  cross.  It  is  not  for  us  to  consider  causes 
of  this  growth  which  others  have  done  so  well.  But  we  may 
say  in  a  word  that  these  Baptists  were,  as  a  rule,  a  spiritually 
minded  folk,  loyal  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  truth  embodied  in 
precept  and  ordinance,  concerned  for  the  conversion  of  men 
and  tolerant  of  all  others,  keeping  their  affairs  from  entangle- 
ment with  those  of  the  State  ;  and  God  has  abundantly 
blessed  them  so  that  small  as  the  mustard  seed  in  the  germ 
they  have  not  been  unhke  it  in  their  growth. 
'^  But  numerical  growth  of  itself  is  least  to  be  gloried  in. 
Bigness  may  be  anything  but  greatness.  Bulk  may  be  the 
reverse  of  blessing.  It  is  not  Persia  with  its  vastness,  but 
Greece  in  its  diminutiveness  that  has  been  most  beneficent 
to  the  world  in  its  philosophy  and  literature  and  art.  If  Bap- 
tists have  numbers  only,  these  are  of  little  worth.  These  are 
the  least  portion  of  their  achievement. 

II.     OUR    EDUCATIONAL    ACHIEVEMENT. 

The  century  found  us  without  repute  in  this  regard,  it 
leaves  us  in  the  front  rank,  occupying  an  honorable  position 
therein.  We  do  not  forget  that  a  Baptist  substantially  founded 
Harvard  University  in  1836,  and  that  other  Baptists,  chief 
among  them  Thomas  Hollis,  ministered  to  its  equipment  and 
endowment.  For  this  Baptists  deserve  credit  often  denied 
them,  as  were  the  benefits  of  the  institution  they  were 
prompted  to  establish.  But  as  a  matter  of  fact  the  cen- 
tury found  them  with  one  collegiate  institution,  Rhode  Island 
College — now  Brown    University,   one  of  the  fruits  of  the 


A  GENERAL  SURVEY  OF  BAPTIST  ACHIEVEMENTS      44 1 

Philadelphia  Association,  and  founded  in  1764.  The  cen- 
tury leaves  us  with  seven  theological  seminaries  and  105  uni- 
versities and  colleges,  with  an  aggregate  endowment  and 
property  approximating  $40,000,000.'  In  addition  there  are 
ninety  academies  and  preparatory  schools  possessing  means  to 
the  amount  of  $4,604,019.  Of  these  last  there  are  not  so 
many  as  there  were  a  few  years  ago.  The  public  high  school 
has  crowded  many  of  them  to  the  wall.  Private  beneficence 
cannot  compete  with  public  funds.  It  ought  not  to  try  in 
any  extended  way.  It  ought  to  concentrate  upon  selected 
institutions  in  given  sections  and  make  them  worthy  com- 
petitors of  the  State  estabhshments  and  w^orthily  leading  to 
the  institutions  above  them.  These  have  done  good  work 
in  the  past  and  may  do  so  still.  They  must,  however,  in 
apparatus  and  teaching  force  keep  pace  with  the  normal  or 
high  school  just  at  their  side.  The  stress  along  this  Hne  will 
constantly  increase  and  only  the  measures  suggested  can  satis- 
factorily meet  it.      So  much  may  be  said  in  passing. 

The  struggle  to  establish  the  institutions  we  now  possess  is 
one  that  can  never  be  told.  It  is  a  story  whose  syllables  are 
made  up  of  prayers  and  tears  and  brave  endeavor  and  heroic 
sacrifice.  No  pages  in  history  glow  more  brilliantly  with  the 
record  of  these  elements  than  do  those  that  tell  of  the  found- 
ing of  Brown  and  Rochester  and  the  Southern  Baptist  Theo- 
logical Seminary  and  others  like  them.  Here  and  there  has 
been  an  exception,  and  the  institution  has  been  born  without 
the  agony  of  travail,  and^  established  unaccompanied  by  the 
keener  anxieties  of  parenthood  ;  but  the  other  has  been  the 
rule.  The  establishment  of  tliese  and  the  other  schools  of  our 
denomination  well  indicated  yits  growing  esteem  of  the  im- 
portance and  necessity  of  ecfucation.  At  first  it  was  content 
with  an  uncultured  ministry.  In  the  main  it  was  all  that 
could  be  procured.  But  to  meet  its  increasing  demands  and 
to  secure  for  it  permanency  of  growth  a  ministry  with  more 
thorough  preparation  was  needed.  It  was  to  provide  this, 
especially,  that  our  earher  institutions  were  founded.  In 
those  that  have  followed  this  object  has  not  been  wanting. 
The  same  has  gone  with  the  denomination  as  it  has  dis- 
charged its  indebtedness  in  the  gospel  to  others.  On  foreign 
fields  it  has  planted  the  high  school  and  college  and  semi- 

1  Dr.  George  C.  Lorimer  says:  "To-day  it  [the  Baptist  denomination]  has  more 
money  invested  in  property  and  endowments  for  educational  interests  than  any  other 
religious  body  in  the  land." — "  The  Baptists  i?i  History,"  p.  job. 

"  In  these  institutions  are  now  gathered  41,000  students  and  instructors,  while  their 
libraries  aggregate  over  1,000,000  volumes."  So  says  Dr.  David  Spencer  in  an  address 
before  the  Pennsylvania  State  Convention, 


442      A  GENERAL  SURVEY  OF  BAPTIST  ACHIEVEMENTS 

nary,  that  it  may  train  native  workers,  and  among  the  freed- 
men  of  our  own  land  it  has  equipped  Spelhnan  and  Roger 
WiUiams  and  Benedict  and  others  very  largely  for  the  same 
purpose.  No  educational  work  done  among  us  during  the 
century  can  surpass  in  importance  and  beneficence  that  done 
among  the  Negroes  of  the  South.  What  has  been  done  justi- 
fies the  demand  of  these  schools  for  a  more  ample  endowment 
of  men  and  means.  Few  can  recall  in  their  review  of  that  ac- 
complished such  words  regarding  foundation  work,  out  of  sight 
and  for  the  most  part  unseen,  as  were  often  spoken  by  Dr. 
M.  B.  Anderson,  without  lifting  the  hat  to  the  memory  of  these 
veteran  builders  of  the  past.  It  ought  to  make  the  children 
value  the  more  those  institutions  they  have  thus  received 
from  the  fathers  and  resolve  that,  so  far  as  in  them  lies,  they 
shall  not  perish  from  the  earth. 

III.     MISSIONARY    TRIUMPHS. 

The  nineteenth  century  has  been  pre-eminently  the  mis- 
sionary era  of  the  church.  Never  since  the  first  century  has 
there  been  a  profounder  conviction  of  the  essential  missionary 
nature  of  flie  gospel  than  in  it.  The  Great  Commission  has 
caught  a  new  emphasis  as  the  voice  of  Jesus  Christ  has  been 
heard  afresh,  saying  ''  Go  ye."  Baptists  have  not  been 
least  among  those  who  have  heard  and  obeyed.  Nay,  few 
have  been  more  responsive  than  they.  Since  that  little  gath- 
ering at  a  private  house  in  Kettering,  England,  in  1792, 
more  than  a  score  of  distinct  societies  have  been  organized. 
Since  William  Carey  and  John  Thomas  went  forth  in  1793  a 
vast  host  of  missionaries  have  been  commissioned  and  lent  their 
aid  to  light  up  the  deep,  despairing  darkness  of  heathenism. 
Whereas  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century  found  us  with 
a  single  convert,  Krishna  Pal,  baptized  by  Carey  in  the 
sacred  waters  of  the  Ganges,  the  nineteenth  century  left  us 
with  217,100  converts  belonging  to  AmeHcan  missions  alone. 
In  India,  China,  Japan,  and  Africa  these  missions  have  been 
established  at  the  great  heathen  strongholds,  as  well  as  where, 
though  the  darkness  is  less  dense,  the  need  is  little  less 
urgent.  In  connection  with  these  missions  there  are  ^  585 
missionaries,  4,868  native  workers,  and  2,088  churches. 
Schools  have  been  established  to  the  number  of  1,468,  and 
property  accumulated  in  connection  with  these  and  otherwise 
to  a  very  large  amount.  But  beyond  that  indicated  by  these 
figures  there  is  an  area  of  results  that  cannot  be  measured. 

1 "  History  of  American  Baptist  Missions,"  E.  F.  Merriam,  p.  252. 


A  GENERAL  SURVEY  OF  BAPTIST  ACHIEVEMENTS     443 

Allowing  five  per  cent,  to  each  convert  as  more  or  less  under 
his  influence,  and  more  than  1,000,000  persons  are  brought 
within  the  molding  touch  of  this  converted  section  of  hea- 
thenism. But  wider  still  is  this  area.  In  their  lives,  in , 
their  homes,  in  their  relations,  social  and  political,  these 
converted  heathen  are  cleaner,  better,  truer  ;  and  the  silent 
witnessing  of  this  is  one  of  the  most  powerful  factors  in  the 
further  extension  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  Not  so  much 
has  been  done,  doubtless,  as  should  have  been,  but  still 
enough  to  fire  us  with  profound  thanksgiving  and  materially 
to  change  the  face  of  the  world. 

IV.    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    AND    YOUNG    PEOPLE'S   WORK. 

The  planting  and  growth  of  the  Sunday-school  are  second 
in  importance  only  to  those  of  the  church  itself.  When 
Robert  Raikes  founded  it,  in  1780,  he  builded  far  more 
wisely  than  he  knew,  and  made  Christendom  his  debtor  for 
all  time.  It  has  been  the  fashion  somewhat  in  these  later 
days  to  decry  the  Sunday-school.  Its  organization  and  order 
are  demoralizing,  it  is  said,  its  teaching  slipshod  and  super- 
ficial, its  literature  paltry  and  "goody-goody,"  and  its  gen- 
eral results  unsatisfactory.  Well,  doubtless  there  is  some- 
thing of  truth  in  each  count  of  the  indictment.  Its  best 
friends  would  not  declare  the  Sunday-school  perfect.  On 
the  other  hand,  there  are  gaps  in  its  formation  that  cause  them 
concern.  But  on  the  whole  it  has  been  vastly  for  good.  It 
has  caught  and  given  trend  to  multitudes  of  lives.  It  has 
sown  seed,  the  harvesting  of  which  will  never  end.  Eighty- 
five  per  cent,  of  the  church's  additions  come  from  it,  and  the 
proportion  is  not  likely  to  grow  less.  It  has  more  than  kept 
step  with  the  general  religious  advancement  of  the  century. 
Numbering  perhaps  500  at  its  commencement,  at  its  end 
there  are  in  the  Sunday-schools  of  the  country  among  Bap- 
tists alone  little  if  any  less  than  2,000,000  scholars  and 
officers  and  teachers.  Criticism  of  this  so  vast  institution 
may  be  good,  but  co-operation  for  its  increased  efficiency  is 
far  better.  On  every  hand  the  church  may  hear  the  Lord 
saying,  ' '  Take  this  child  and  nurse  it  for  me  and  I  will  give 
thee  thy  wages ' '  ;  and  the  wages  will  be  measured  by  the 
work. 

Sister  to  the  Sunday-school  in  these  later  years,  and  some 
would  say  its  rival,  has  come  the  young  people's  organization. 
Others  in  this  volume  have  told  the  story  of  its  genesis  and 
growth,  and  a  recapitulation  is  scarcely  needed.  Suffice  it  to 
say  that  the  movement  has  given  scope  and  opportunity  to  a 


444      A  GENERAL  SURVEY  OF  BAPTIST  ACHIEVEMENTS 

vast  mass  of  unutilized  material  in  the  church.  There  was  a 
gap  between  the  Sunday-school  and  the  full  activities  of 
church  life,  and  many  a  young  man  and  young  woman  strayed 
through  it  into  the  field  of  unemployment  and  uselessness.  'I'he 
young  people's  societies  arose  to  in  some  measure  stop  the 
gap  and  use  the  material.  With  their  large  and  growing  mem- 
bership, both  Baptist  Union  and  Christian  Endeavor,  they 
have  been  an  unmeasured  factor  of  good  among  us.  Views 
may  differ  as  to  organization  and  relationship  and  all  that,  but 
the  general  verdict  must  be  as  indicated.  It  has  been  es- 
pecially gratifying  to  Baptists  that,  whatever  the  special  name 
or  affiliation,  the  general  union  has  been  unimpeded.  Chris- 
tian Endeavor  or  Young  People's  Union,  as  the  case  might 
be,  in  local  and  State  and  national  meetings,  the  two  have 
come  together  and  the  good  of  the  whole  has  been  a  more 
dominant  factor  than  society  allegiance.  Large  credit  for 
this  the  impartial  historian  will  award  to  the  American  Bap- 
tist Publication  Society,  under  whose  management  the  move- 
ment came  when  for  a  few  months  in  1890  and  1891  it  jour- 
neyed East.  Out  of  this  grew  the  paper,  "The  Young 
Peoples  Union,"  and  the  Chicago  Convention  by  which  the 
movement  was  consolidated.  Perhaps  when  the  final  page 
in  the  history  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society 
shall  come  to  be  written,  not  least  in  the  list  of  services  ren- 
dered to  the  denomination  will  be  found  this  fact. 

V.     LITERATURE. 

Like  Saul's  native  Tarsus,  among  the  cities  of  Asia  Minor, 
Baptists  occupy  no  mean  place  among  those  who  have 
contributed  to  the  literature  of  the  century.  Before  its  dawn 
they  could  point  to  such  as  Milton,  De  Foe,  Bunyan,  Roger 
Williams,  and  Isaac  Backus.  Since  its  advent,  to  Robert 
Hall,  John  Foster,  Charles  H.  Spurgeon,  Alexander  McLaren, 
Francis  Wayland,  William  R.  Williams,  and  George  D.  Board- 
man.  With  these  and  others,  scarce  if  any  less  worthy  of 
mention,  they  need  not  stand  abashed  in  any  presence.  Of 
late  they  have  been  especially  prolific,  as  is  well  told  by 
Doctor  Tupper,  in  this  volume,  and  also  in  a  paper  on  Bap- 
tist Literature,  published  in  1898,  embodied  in  a  work  en- 
titled "Gladstone  and  other  Addresses."  The  names  of 
Strong,  Pattison,  Lorimer,  Newman,  MacArthur,  Clark, 
Matthews,  Wilkinson,  and  Rhees  in  general  literature ;  and 
Mason,  Johnston,  and  Tomlinson  in  fiction  will  occur  at  once 
among  others  to  those  who  have  kept  in  touch  with  what  has 
been  done. 


A  GENERAL  SURVEY  OF  BAPTIST  ACHIEVEMENTS      44.5 

The  work  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  well 
illustrates  Baptist  contributions  to  literature.  Beginning  in 
1824  and  publishing  a  few  tracts,  it  has  advanced  until  in 
1900  it  issued  fifty-three  distinct  works  containing  1,362,- 
466,309  i6mo  pages.  It  will  embody  in  its  new  catalogue 
about  to  be  issued  1,666  independent  titles  and  the  names 
of  448  authors,  some  of  whom  have  gone  home,  but  of  whom 
most  are  still  at  work.  Outside  of  the  Society's  list  is  a  great 
number  of  those  who  are  giving  their  messages  to  the  world. 
In  fiction,  in  history,  in  biography,  and  general  standard  re- 
ligious discussion,  our  writers  have  done  their  part.  It  would 
be  impossible  approximately  to  estimate  the  number  of  dis- 
tinct works  written  by  Baptist  pens  since  the  dawn  of  the  cen- 
tury, while  the  number  of  copies  issued  would  be  beyond 
one's  power  to  guess.  Of  course  many  of  these  works  have 
done  their  work.  A  book  has  its  life  as  a  man  has.  It  is 
not  a  dead  thing,  as  so  many  think.  It  lives  that  life  ;  it 
speaks  its  message  and  then  may  rest.  Some  of  these  of 
which  we  speak  have  done  this  ;  others  are  doing  it.  But 
whether  done  or  doing  Baptists  have  no  reason  to  be  ashamed 
of  those  by  whom  they  have  been  represented  in  literature 
during  the  century  whose  record  we  are  making  up. 

VI.     OUR    GENERAL    POSITION. 

The  end  of  the  nineteenth  century  found  Baptists,  as  it  did 
other  denominations,  in  a  position  far  different  from  that  in 
which  they  were  found  at  its  beginning.  Progress  in  church 
work  was  of  necessity  slow  then.  The  stress  of  subduing  the 
land  and  overcoming  the  Indian  proprietors  taxed  to  their 
utmost  the  energies  of  its  members.  Moreover,  the  last 
quarter  of  the  eighteenth  century  was  pecuharly  unfavorable 
to  evangelical  growth.  The  Revolutionary  War  had  deci- 
mated the  population  and  exhausted  its  resources.  Men  had 
been  turned  from  peaceful  pursuits  and  the  camp  had  sup- 
planted the  plow  and  the  loom.  The  churches  had  suffered 
with  the  rest.  Their  memberships  were  scattered  and  their 
houses  of  worship  were  in  many  instances  turned  into  stables 
for  the  British  cavalry.  And  then  came  results  always  likely  to 
follow  war,  with  the  influence  of  our  French  allies  thrown  in. 
The  teachings  of  Voltaire  and  Diderot  contested  the  ground 
with  the  disciples  of  Edwards  and  Whitefield,  and  the  vices 
contracted  in  the  camp  militated  against  worship  in  the 
sanctuary. 

In  addition  to  the  difficulties  confronting  others.  Baptists 
encountered  obstacles  pecuharly  their  own.      The  hand  of 


446      A  GENERAL  SURVEY  OF  BAPTIST  ACHIEVEMENTS 

law  was  against  them.  The  Puritan  wishing  hberty  for  him- 
self did  not  wish  to  grant  it  to  others.  He  persecuted  dis- 
sent bitterly  in  New  England  and  the  cavalier  was  not  much 
behind  him  in  Virginia.  While  these  repressive  measures 
were  inconvenient  they  were  not  successful.  Truth  cannot 
be  slain,  and  Baptists  overcame  their  opponents  by  the 
innate  force  of  the  principles  they  professed.  And  so  it  has 
come  about,  not  only  that  in  general  position  they  stand 
equal  to  any,  but  also  that  the  very  principles  for  which  they 
were  persecuted  are  now  recognized  by  all.  For  a  moment 
and  by  way  of  recapitulation  we  may  glance  at  these  whose 
progress  and  supremacy  others  have  discussed. 

1.  One  of  these,  and  possibly  the  chief,  is  the  supremacy  of 
the  Scriptures.  Not  councils,  not  creeds,  not  tradition,  but  the 
Bible  has  formed  for  Baptists  the  bar  of  final  appeal.  In  the 
organization  of  the  colony  of  Rhode  Island  it  was  declared  : 
"  We  whose  names  are  underwritten  do  here  solemnly  .  .  . 
submit  our  persons,  hves,  and  estates  unto  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  .  .  .  and  to  all  those  perfect  and  most  absolute  laws 
of  his  given  us  in  his  holy  word  to  be  guided  and  judged 
thereby. ' '  ^  Not  only  have  Baptists  stood  by  this,  not  only 
do  they  stand  thereby,  but  they  have  so  prevailed  that  all 
Christian  denominations  but  one  take  the  same  position. 
True,  practically  most  of  them  have  much  yet  to  learn,  but 
theoretically  no  one  of  them  would  acknowledge  to  any  other 
supreme  fealty  than  to  the  word  of  God.  It  is  a  triumph 
Baptists  may  at  least  modestly  record  in  this  resume  of  a 
century's  progress. 

2.  Growing  out  of  the  principle  thus  recorded  is  this — 
absolute  i-eligious  liberty.  Professor  Masson,  in  writing  of 
Roger  Williams,  says  he  organized  "a  community  on  the 
unheard  of  principle  of  absolute  religious  liberty  combined 
with  perfect  civil  democracy."^  Once  standing  alone  in  the 
assertion  of  this  principle  Baptists  have  now  the  company  of 
all  the  Protestant  denominations.  Presbyterian  or  Metho- 
dist, or  what  not,  would  now  take  place  by  their  side  and  re- 
sist to  the  death,  in  our  favored  land,  any  encroachment  of 
the  civil  power  on  the  domain  of  religious  freedom. 

3.  Just  one  other  cognate  principle  remains  for  notice — 
the  absolute  separation  of  Church  and  State.  Eloquently, 
comprehensively,  Dr.  J.  L.  M.  Curry, ^  has  told  the  story  of 
the  struggle  for  the  accomplishment  of  this.      Step  by  step  it 

1  Newman,  "  A  History  of  Baptist  Churches  in  the  United  States,"  p.  98. 

2  Ibid.,  p.  73. 

3  "  EstabUshment  and  Disestabhshment ;  or,  The  Progress  of  Soul  Liberty  in   the 
United  States."     American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  1889. 


A  GENERAL  SURVEY  OF  BAPTIST  ACHIEVEMENTS      44/ 

progressed  until  it  found  its  enunciation  in  the  national  Con- 
stitution and  expunged  from  the  codified  laws  of  every  State 
the  last  vestige  of  any  assertion  of  its  authority  to  control  in 
matters  of  faith.  It  has  been  an  arduous  struggle.  The 
opposite  view  has  died  hard.  Nay,  in  other  lands  it  is  not 
dead.  In  our  own,  ever  and  anon,  it  shows  signs  of  revival. 
In  provisional  legislation  for  the  Philippines  it  has  hfted  its 
head.  It  may  be  that  in  our  new  territories  we  shall  have  to 
renew  the  battle.  There  can  be  no  flinching.  The  hier- 
archy of  the  Tiber  may  wish  it  otherwise.  The  wish,  how- 
ever, will  be  of  no  avail.  In  matters  spiritual  the  State  must 
be  without  authority,  save  to  protect.  For  this  Baptists  have 
stood,  and  will  stand,  grateful  for  triumphs  now,  and  watch- 
ful to  protect  what  they  account  of  such  vast  worth. 

And  so  our  task  is  done.  We  have  but  glanced  at  that  by 
way  of  summary  which  others  have  discussed.  We  have 
essayed  a  composite  picture  of  that  w^hich  they  have  indi- 
vidually limned.  If  the  result  is  disappointing  it  is  not  the 
fault  of  the  elements.  What  they  presage  for  the  new  era 
upon  which  we  now  enter  none  can  know.  The  horizon  is 
bright  with  hope.  Our  mission  may  have  just  begun,  and 
what  has  been  may  stand  to  what  will  be  as  did  the  wilderness 
to  the  Promised  Land  in  the  exodus  of  the  Hebrews. 

Philip  L.  Jones. 


XXX 

BAPTISTS  AND  THE  TWENTIETH  CENTURY 


The  nineteenth  century  was  pre-eminently  a  Baptist  cen- 
tury. For  the  first  time  since  Christ  came  into  the  world 
the  principles  of  Baptists  had  something  like  fair  play,  not 
everywhere,  but  among  the  people  who,  more  than  any 
others,  have  advanced  the  race.  The  century  opened  with 
full  religious  liberty  secured  in  America  and  broad  toleration 
in  England.  Baptists  were  the  champions  of  religious  liberty 
in  America  from  the  start,  as  they  had  been  everywhere  be- 
fore. Full  liberty  of  conscience  is  the  contribution  of  Bap- 
tists to  the  enlightenment  and  progress  of  the  race.  The 
doctrine  carries  with  it  other  great  doctrines  of  the  highest 
importance.  Its  foundation  lies  in  the  nature  of  religion. 
ReHgion  is  spiritual,  a  matter  of  conscience.  It  is  a  personal 
concern  and  cannot  be  delegated  to  any  one,  but  each  per- 
son for  himself  must  worship  and  serve  God  according  to  the 
light  he  may  be  able  to  get.  This  being  so,  it  follows  that 
each  person  must  have  the  right,  not  man-given,  but  God- 
given,  to  search  for  the  light  of  truth.  If  God  has  spoken 
on  any  subject,  each  individual  has  a  right  to  hear  for  him- 
self This  means  the  right  to  investigate,  and  it  means  an 
open  Bible  in  the  hand  of  every  responsible  human  being. 
It  carries,  also,  the  right  to  preach  and  the  right  to  hear 
preaching,  each  one  on  his  responsibility  to  God. 

The  article  in  the  American  Constitution  guaranteeing  the 
free  exercise  of  religion  to  all  is  by  far  the  most  important 
writing  since  the  canon  of  iiispiration  was  closed  and  the  seal 
of  deity  stamped  on  it.  It  means,  in  its  far-reaching  effects, 
the  complete  liberation  of  the  world  from  priestcraft  and  civil 
and  religious  oppression  as  well  as  from  the  confusion  of 
ignorance.  It  is  the  most  revolutionary  doctrine  ever  crys- 
tallized in  human  speech  since  Christ  taught  by  the  side  of  the 
Jordan,  in  the  cities  of  the  Jews,  and  in  the  temple  of  God. 
It  is  the  inspiration  of  universal  education  and  all  that  is 
highest  in  modern  civilization.  Christianity  is  the  mother 
of  education.  All  the  older  universities  and  colleges  were 
founded  by  religious  communities  for  religious  purposes,  but 
448 


BAPTISTS    AND    THE   TWENTIETH    CENTURY  449 

there  was  much  of  the  class  feeling  in  them,  and  noble  efforts 
were  limited  by  the  narrow  views  of  churchmen.  But  with 
the  establishment  of  free  religion  and  its  cognate  doctrine,  the 
essential  dignity  of  man,  even  in  its  lowest  estate,  free  educa- 
tion logically  followed,  and  will,  the  world  over. 

Liberty  of  conscience,  moreover,  means  free  speech  and 
open  discussion.  This  is  the  voice  of  the  New  Testament. 
Peter  and  John  set  the  doctrine  in  terse  terms  when  the  civil 
powers  forbade  them  to  preach  any  more  in  the  name  of 
Christ.  Their  reply  fits  the  constitution  of  free  America. 
"  Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  hearken  unto 
you  more  than  unto  God,  judge  ye  ;  for  we  cannot  but  speak 
the  things  which  we  have  seen  and  heard."  On  their  con- 
sciences they  would  obey  God.  These  men  had  so  preached 
as  to  greatly  endanger  the  existing  order  of  things,  but  no 
matter,  the  preaching  must  go  on.  This  was  an  inspired  dec- 
laration of  spiritual  independence.  Many  centuries  lay  be- 
tween it  and  its  incarnation  in  the  constitution  of  a  civil  govern- 
ment.    This  is  distinctly  a  Baptist  tenet  and  a  Baptist  triumph. 

With  free  discussion  and  an  open  Bible  error  has  had  a 
hard  time.  The  human  mind  has  been  opened  to  the  hght 
by  a  quickened  sense  of  privilege  and  responsibility.  The 
nineteenth  century  has  been  one  of  constantly  increasing 
enlightenment.  The  doctrine  of  liberty  of  conscience  and  its 
cognate  truths  have  appealed  directly  and  powerfully  to  hu- 
manity. The  barriers  of  caste  and  class  have  to  a  great 
extent  crumbled  away.  The  veil  of  superstition,  and  its 
mother,  intellectual  darkness,  has  been  lifted,  and  all  classes, 
tribes,  and  conditions  of  people  have  been  permitted  to  look 
out  on  ever-widening  prospects  of  good  for  this  world  and 
the  next.  Errors  hoary  with  age  and  clothed  in  sacred  gar- 
ments have  been  stripped  and  exposed  to  pubHc  view  under 
the  white  light  of  God's  truth.  The  people  have  come  more 
and  more  into  their  rightful  inheritance  of  truth  and  its 
attendant  blessings  of  civil  and  religious  liberty. 

It  is  not  accidental  that  the  two  great  English-speaking 
nations  have  gained  the  ascendant  in  the  world's  affairs.  An 
open  Bible  in  the  hand  of  every  person  is  a  full  explanation. 
If  we  follow  the  influence  of  the  divine  teaching  on  the 
hearts  and  minds  of  any  people,  step  by  step,  we  will  see  that 
it  fructifies,  stimulates,  and  greatens  the  people.  It  develops 
the  highest  type  of  manhood,  and  gives  tone  and  value  to 
human  life.  The  inventive  genius  of  the  world  is  mightily 
stimulated  by  Christianity  and  the  free  exercise  of  the  pre- 
cepts of  the  Scriptures  is  the  world's  greatest  safeguard. 

2D 


450  BAPTISTS    AND    THE    TWENTIETH    CENTURY 

Coming  to  consider  more  particularly  the  effect  of  free 
religion,  with  its  attendant  free  discussion,  we  may  note  a 
general  movement  in  the  direction  of  the  Baptist  system 
of  doctrine,  or  toward  the  simple  teachings  of  the  New 
Testament.  In  respect  to  liberty  in  civil  government,  the 
century  just  gone  has  witnessed  marvelous  progress.  Two 
religious  forces  have  co-operated  sympathetically  on  oppo- 
site sides  with  the  political  forces  of  the  times.  One  of 
these  has  imbued  everything  it  touched  with  the  spirit  of 
oppression.  It  is  monarchical  in  form,  with  the  spirit  of 
absolutism.  The  other  inoculated  everything  touched  with 
the  spirit  of  hberty.  The  first  of  these  is  the  Roman 
hierarchy  ;  the  second,  free  Baptist  churches.  One  is  the 
highest  type  of  absolutism  in  government ;  the  other,  of  a 
pure  democracy.  The  first,  in  harmony  with  absolutism  in 
civil  government,  holds  that  the  individual  is  for  the  church  ; 
the  second,  in  harmony  with  democracy,  holds  that  the 
church  is  for  the  individual.  The  two  forces  waged  a  cease- 
less battle  during  the  nineteenth  century  with  the  whole 
world  for  a  battlefield.  The  Baptist  idea  for  the  first  time 
in  history,  had  an  open  field  and  a  fair  fight,  with  America 
for  a  demonstration  on  a  huge  scale.  The  great  Protestant 
sects  were  all  committed,  in  one  way  or  another,  to  the  Roman 
side  of  the  controversy.  One  of  their  own  writers  truly  said, 
"The  hues  of  Romanism  are  inlaid  throughout  all  Protes- 
tantism." They  came  out  of  Rome,  but  much  of  Rome  did 
not  come  out  of  them. 

The  results  of  the  conflicts  of  the  past  century  have  been 
cheering.  There  has  been  a  slide,  well-nigh  world-wide,  in 
the  direction  of  the  Baptist  position.  In  America,  the  Prot- 
estant communions  have  come  so  completely  to  the  Baptist 
position  as  regards  Hberty  of  conscience,  separation  of  Church 
and  State,  etc.,  that  their  people  do  not  know  they  ever  held 
other  views.  Toleration  has  been  greatly  broadened  in  Eng- 
land. The  Irish  disestablishment  bill  passed  and  there  is 
steady  progress  toward  entire  freedom.  France  has  become 
a  repubhc  and  there  is  large  liberty  there.  Rome  has  opened 
her  doors  to  the  Bible.  Romanism  has  lost  control  over  the 
greater  part  of  that  territory  where  loo  years  ago  the  pope's 
word  was  final.  The  gospel  can  be  preached  nearly  any- 
where on  the  earth's  surface  to-day,  and  the  great  nations  of 
the  earth  will  protect  the  missionaries.  The  sultan  has  just 
paid  for  missionary  property  destroyed  in  his  realm  and  China 
will  do  so  soon.  The  spirit  of  the  age  abhors  religious  perse- 
cution, and  in  this  the  spirit  of  the  age  is  the  spirit  of  Obadiah 


BAPTISTS    AND    THE    TWENTIETH    CENTURY  45  I 

Holmes,  Roger  Williams,  and  other  Baptist  worthies,  who 
kept  the  campfires  of  liberty  burning  through  the  dark  times 
leading  up  to  the  gates  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

But  there  has  been  much  advance  in  ways  not  so  easily 
presented  to  the  reader.  Baptist  principles  are  working  their 
way  silently,  but  surely  into  the  very  heart  of  all  Pedobaptist 
communions.  Great  numbers  of  people  in  other  bodies  have 
been  immersed.  Immersion  was  a  condition  of  their  joining. 
The  power  of  infant  baptism,  with  all  related  errors,  has  been 
greatly  weakened  in  every  Pedobaptist  communion  in  America, 
except  the  Catholic.  The  masses  no  longer  hold  to  the  old 
standards  on  this  subject.  The  decline  of  infant  baptism  is 
as  marked  as  it  is  gratifying.  The  doctrine  of  individuahsm 
is  supplanting  the  whole  system  of  proxy  religion.  With  mul- 
titudes infant  baptism  is  no  longer  regarded  as  a  divine  com- 
mand to  meet  an  awful  need,  but  a  pleasant  custom,  allowable 
as  not  Ukely  to  do  any  harm.  In  many  local  congregations 
there  is  no  more  of  it,  either  in  preaching  or  in  practice. 

There  has  been  a  steady  movement  toward  larger  hberty 
for  the  individual  in  church  government.  The  clergy  no 
longer  have  the  absolute  control  exercised  one  hundred  years 
ago.  The  spirit  of  liberty  in  America  has  deeply  affected  the 
Catholic  communion,  and  there  is  a  constant  loss  to  that 
mighty  organization,  with  now  and  then  an  explosion,  when 
some  cleric  asserts  himself  after  the  old  fashion. 

Standing  at  the  threshold  of  the  new  century,  we  may 
profitably  look  in  another  direction.  Only  a  little  more  than 
a  hundred  years  ago  William  Carey  preached  his  great  awaken- 
ing sermon  on  missions,  the  clearest  and  loftiest  utterance  on 
that  question  the  world  had  heard  since  the  voice  of  Paul  was 
hushed  outside  the  gates  of  Rome  by  the  stroke  of  the  exe- 
cutioner. Carey  was  regarded  as  a  visionary.  Many  of  his 
own  brethren  discounted  him,  but  some  believed.  He  was 
the  butt  of  ridicule  in  the  worldly  wise  circles  of  England. 
But  the  mission  enterprise  has  taken  every  denomination  in 
the  world,  except  one.  Millions  of  money  are  given  to  mis- 
sions every  year.  The  question  has  been  taken  out  of  de- 
bate. In  all  its  phases  the  mission  enterprise  has  been  car- 
ried forward  beyond  the  experimental  stage.  It  has  great- 
ened  every  people  who  ever  threw  themselves  into  it  with 
anything  Uke  apostolic  zeal.  Our  own  Baptist  missionaries 
are  on  all  continents  and  in  all  climes.  In  close  touch  with 
the  mission  enterprise  stands  the  Christian  school.  It  too 
has  passed  the  experimental  stage.  And  so  the  whole  ques- 
tion of  Christian   beneficence  expressed  itself  in  orphanages, 


452  BAPTISTS    AND    THE    TWENTIETH    CENTURY 

homes  for  the  aged,  asylums,  etc.  It  is  a  great  thing  to  have 
matters  Hke  these  settled,  and  the  way  fully  opened  for  work. 

Baptists  enter  the  twentieth  century  under  circumstances 
most  favorable  for  the  accomplishment  of  a  far  greater  work 
than  they  have  done.  There  is  a  Providential  preparation, 
working  everywhere  for  the  reception  of  the  truth  which  dis- 
tinguishes us  as  a  people.  The  whole  world  is  open  to  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel.  We  have  a  vast  array  of  forces  or- 
ganized, and  all  work  to  a  degree  systematized.  Baptists 
have  not  only  great  numbers  but  great  wealth.  They  have 
great  influence  both  in  private  and  pubHc  circles.  "With 
malice  toward  none  and  charity  toward  all,"  all  Baptists  are 
called  to  go  forward  and  complete  the  work  committed  to 
them.      This  will  mean  : 

I.  World-tvide  evangelization.  At  the  beginning  of  this 
century  we  might  well  sound  again  the  higli  note  of  Carey. 
The  aim  should  be  constantly  to  lengthen  the  cords  and  at 
the  same  time  strengthen  the  stakes.  The  missionary  iires 
should  be  kindled  afresh  in  every  one  of  the  50,000  Baptist 
churches  throughout  the  world.  It  is  of  the  first  importance 
to  our  present  and  future  good  that  missions  be  given  their 
proper  place  in  every  church.  Evangelization  is  the  very 
heart  of  the  gospel,  for  it  means  soul  saving,  and  soul  saving 
brought  Christ  from  glory,  and  led  him  to  the  cross.  For 
that  he  gave  his  hfe.  For  that  he  lives  and  intercedes  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  Father.  For  that  every  church  has  an  ex- 
istence in  the  world,  and  for  that  every  Christian  lives.  No 
Christian  is  kept  in  the  world  to  prepare  for  another  world. 
He  is  kept  in  the  world  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  Christ's  suf- 
fering, and  to  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.  An  anti- 
missionary  church  or  a  non-missionary  church  is  a  monstrous 
spectacle  for  men  and  angels.  At  the  very  beginning  of  the 
century  all  of  the  forces  and  agencies  of  the  denomination 
should  be  gathered  around  and  harmonized  with  this  great 
central  thought.  The  missionary  enterprise  is  the  God-given 
enterprise  of  all  the  churches.  It  is  the  noblest  undertaking 
which  can  engage  the  hearts  and  minds  of  men.  It  has  in  it 
all  of  the  elements  of  charity,  of  reformation  of  every  sort,  of 
education,  of  civilization.  A  plain,  earnest  New  Testament 
preacher  of  the  gospel  in  a  wild  frontier  community  is  more 
for  civilization  than  an  army.  He  is  the  sower  of  the  seed 
of  all  good.      Missionaries  are  the  true  builders  of  empires. 

It  is  of  transcendent  importance  that  the  whole  denomi- 
nation take  a  new  grip  on  the  missionary  idea,  and  in  order 
to  do  this  preachers  should  preach,  editors  write,  and  theo- 


BAPTISTS    AND    THE    TWENTIETH    CENTURY  453 

logical  teachers  expound.  If  the  churches  can  be  set  aflame 
with  mission  zeal  a  thousand  little  contentions,  bickerings, 
and  strifes  will  disappear.  The  soul-saving  idea  of  the  gospel 
brought  to  the  front  shames  the  littleness  of  selfishness.  A 
revival  of  missionary  zeal  of  the  apostoHc  order  will  tend 
greatly  toward  soundness  in  the  faith.  Heresies  have  their 
habitation  in  cold  hearts  and  cold  churches. 

We  have  come  to  a  time  when  the  call  reaches  us  from 
every  quarter  of  the  globe,  "  Come  over  and  help  us."  One 
hundred  years  ago  our  fathers  were  praying  that  God  would 
open  doors  to  us.  The  doors  are  open,  and  through  these 
open  doors  comes  the  cry  of  struggling  bands  of  Christian 
soldiers  pleading  for  reinforcements.  These  cries  ought  to 
go  into  our  hearts  during  the  present  year.  The  entire  mis- 
sionary force  of  the  Baptist  denomination  at  home  and  abroad 
might  be  easily  doubled,  and  long  before  the  present  century 
passes  the  Baptists  ought  to  preach  the  gospel  to  every  com- 
munity in  the  whole  world.  The  lesson  of  the  past  century 
plainly  teaches  that  the  missionary  enterprise,  taken  up  with 
conviction  and  zeal,  has  blessed  every  people  that  gave  itself 
to  it.  And  the  lesson  is  equally  plain  that  the  people  who 
have  not  given  themselves  to  it  have  been  cast  aside  of  the 
Lord.  More  than  any  others.  Baptists  stand  committed  to 
the  missionary  idea,  for  they  stand  committed  to  the  simple 
doctrine  of  obedience  to  the  word  of  God  more  than  do 
others.  We  ought  to  celebrate  this  opening  year  of  the  cen- 
tury by  a  very  great  increase  in  all  of  our  missionary  opera- 
tions. I  have  put  the  missionary  enterprise  first,  because  it 
is  first  in  the  order  of  things  in  the  New  Testament.  Schools, 
papers,  publishing  houses,  and  other  denominational  agencies, 
take  their  value  from  their  connection  with  the  missionary 
enterprise.  All  Baptist  schools  which  make  Baptist  scholar- 
ship greater  than  piety  deserve  not  a  dollar  of  Baptist  money, 
and  a  Baptist  paper  which  puts  missions  in  a  corner  should 
itself  be  put  in  a  corner. 

2.  With  the  indefinite  lengthening  of  the  cords  there  should 
be  a  corresponding  strengthening  of  the  stakes.  I  offer  three 
suggestions  : 

(i)  A  renewal  of  doctrinal  preaching  in  the  churches  and 
this  doctrinal  preaching  to  cover  the  ground  of  the  Articles  of 
Faith  commonly  held  among  us.  It  is  not  any  harm  to  be  a 
Baptist.  There  is  great  good  in  it.  A  Baptist  is  simply  a 
man  whose  life  is  formed  on  the  New  Testament,  and  such  a 
man  is  the  highest  fruit  of  civilization  as  well  as  of  grace. 
The  world  has  been  blessed  just  in  proportion  as  it  has  ad- 


454  BAPTISTS    AND    THE    TWENTIETH    CENTURY 

vanced  toward  the  simple  teaching  of  the  New  Testament. 
A  mere  handful  of  men  and  women  one  hundred  years  ago 
and  backward,  undertook  what  seemed  to  the  worldly  wise 
a  mammoth  piece  of  folly,  to  wit,  the  bringing  of  the  world 
to  believe  the  Baptist  way  on  civil  government  and  the  free- 
dom of  religion  and  other  doctrines  ;  and  yet  to-day  the 
world  largely  accepts  the  Baptist  position.  With  faithful 
preaching,  straight  from  the  word  of  God,  and  on  the  au- 
thority of  God,  let  us  go  on  to  complete  the  work  in  hand. 
It  is  the  business  of  Baptists  to  bring  the  whole  world  to  the 
one  true  center  of  unity,  the  word  of  God.  To  do  this 
every  preacher  and  church  should  stand  unflinchingly  by  the 
truth.  There  ought  to  be  in  every  church  an  atmosphere  of 
hospitality  to  the  truth.  At  a  great  cost,  we  obtained  our 
freedom  from  State  control.  At  any  cost  let  Baptists  main- 
tain their  freedom  from  the  slavery  of  public  sentiment, 
ignorant  of  the  word  of  God,  as  it  is,  and  dominated  by  a 
worldly  sentiment,  as  of  old.  We  are  not  of  the  world  and 
should  take  no  counsel  of  the  world. 

I  speak  a  hearty  word  for  the  old  doctrines  of  grace,  as 
preached  by  Spurgeon  and  Paul  and  others  in  the  long  line 
of  Baptist  worthies.  These  old  doctrines  are  the  foundation 
of  all  that  is  solid  in  Christian  hope  and  all  that  will  endure 
the  ebbs  and  flows  of  public  sentiment,  and  they  need  to  be 
preached  anew  in  our  churches,  to  change  the  tone  and  to 
put  every  one  in  his  right  attitude  toward  God.  The  nine- 
teenth century  was  a  very  fine  century,  but  it  did  not  alto- 
gether escape  the  "big  head."  Nothing  will  sober  the 
world  so  much  as  to  understand  the  solemn  truths  of  the 
word  with  respect  to  the  lost  condition  of  the  race  and  of 
salvation  through  sovereign  grace.  We  need  not  be  afraid 
that  the  world  will  run  ahead  of  the  New  Testament  ;  for 
very  little  of  the  world  has  even  progressed  far  enough  to  get 
in  sight  of  the  New  Testament. 

I  enter  a  plea  for  the  honest  and  faithful  preaching  of  the 
word,  teaching  doctrines  pecuharly  denominational.  We  are 
not  done  with  the  baptismal  controversy  nor  the  communion 
controversy.  The  controversy  grows  out  of  the  true  charac- 
ter and  relation  of  the  New  Testament  churches.  It  is  quite 
as  important  to-day  to  preach  the  true  doctrine  of  baptism  as 
it  was  at  the  beginning  or  at  any  time  since.  If  a  church 
can  be  brought  to  stand  right  as  to  the  nature  of  a  church 
and  its  two  rites,  baptism  and  the  supper,  it  will  not  be  far 
wrong  at  other  points.  Churches  to-day  are,  what  they  were 
at  the  beginning,  the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth.      Baptists 


BAPTISTS    AND    THE    TWENTIETH    CENTURY  455 

have  no  truths  to  compiomise,  none  to  hide  under  a  bushel, 
and  we  are  to  maintain  that  truth  has  the  right  of  way  in  the 
world  and  that  error  has  no  rights  that  truth  is  bound  to 
respect. 

(2)  Baptists  may  well  felicitate  themselves  on  the  excellent 
foundations  they  have  for  their  educational  institutions,  but 
here  too  we  must  strengtlien  the  stakes.  The  last  century 
gave  us  our  first  opportunity  to  show  the  true  spirit  of  Bap- 
tists with  respect  to  education.  New  Testament  teaching 
tends  to  enlightenment.  It  could  not  have  been  otherwise 
than  that  a  people  holding  to  the  doctrines  of  Baptists  would 
become  strong  advocates  of  institutions  of  learning  devoted  to 
Christian  culture.  Much  has  been  done,  much  remains  to 
be  done.  The  greater  number  of  our  institutions  of  learning 
need  endowments  and  large  additions  to  endowments.  The 
Baptist  people  need  the  helpful  and  ennobling  training  and 
inspiration  of  giving  to  Christian  education.  It  does  not 
belong  to  the  scope  of  this  paper  to  discuss  at  any  length  the 
educational  methods  of  Baptists.  I  venture,  however,  to  say 
that  the  greatest  present  want  is  a  system  of  academies,  well 
located,  properly  equipped,  and  rigidly  held  to  academic 
work.  The  school  idea  is  firmly  fixed  in  the  policies  of  the 
denomination.  On  all  heathen  shores  the  Christian  schools 
should  be  brought  on  as  a  support  to  the  Christian  churches. 

(3)  The  greatest  weakness  of  American  Baptists  (I  will 
speak  of  no  other)  is  a  waste  of  their  resources.  The  length- 
ening of  the  cords  has  been  pressed  with  greater  vigor  than 
the  strengthening  of  the  stakes.  We  have  associational  and 
conventional  organizations  covering  the  whole  field  of  our 
operations  and  embracing  practically  every  church,  but  with 
all  this,  vast  numbers  of  churches  and  individuals  are  not 
particularly  and  really  engaged  in  the  work  for  which  they  are 
kept  in  the  world.  Nothing  can  be  more  important  than 
that  measures  be  taken  early  and  persevered  in  to  utilize  and 
develop  the  enormous  wastes  of  the  denomination.  To  this 
great  problem  we  should  bring  our  highest  wisdom,  enlight- 
ened by  that  wisdom  which  cometh  from  above.  If  in  ten 
years  the  millions  of  Baptists  now  living  on  the  earth  could 
be  brought  to  put  their  strength  out  and  together  in  the 
furtherance  of  the  gospel  the  dead  nations  would  awake  and 
the  glory  of  God  would  speedily  cover  the  earth. 

I  come  to  the  closing  paragraph.  Though  far  from  Paul 
in  point  of  time,  we  stand  in  his  place  as  trustees  of  the 
truth.  We  have  the  truth  because  faithful  men  and  v.c'iien 
endured  much  suffering  and   even   martyrdom   through  the 


456  BAPTISTS    AND    THE    TWENTIETH    CENTURY 

ages  to  keep  the  faith  and  transmit  the  truth  to  those  who 
came  after.  Along  with  the  illustrious  example  of  their 
fidehty  in  looking  to  the  future,  the  mind  may  readily  see 
the  oncoming  generations,  one  ceaseless  flood  of  humanity, 
as  they  come  in  endless  ranks.  Shall  they  find  the  true  faith 
on  the  earth  ?  Shall  infant  eyes  behold  in  America,  in  Eng- 
land, in  Africa  and  China,  and  the  isles  of  the  sea,  the  Bible 
in  the  home,  and  shall  their  ears  hear  the  preaching  of  the 
pure  word  in  their  own  tongues  ?  Shall  they  grow  from  in- 
fancy to  manhood  in  the  light  of  truth,  or  shall  it  be  that 
they  will  grope  in  darkness  or  in  the  shadows  where  light  and 
darkness  struggle  together?  All  these  questions  can  be 
answered  if  the  miUions  of  Baptists  to-day  are  faithful  to  the 
truth,  both  in  the  holding  of  it  and  the  preaching  of  it.  If 
that  question  is  answered  in  the  affirmative,  then  may  we  be 
certain  that  before  another  century  is  gone  the  light  will 
shine  into  every  dark  place  of  this  earth  and  the  habitations 
of  cruelty  will  become  the  habitation  of  peace. 

J.   B.   Gambrell. 


APPENDIXES 


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BX6231 .N55 

A  century  of  Baptist  achievement 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00149  4907 


